Little Brother
by Ghost Rider of the Aragon
Summary: (AU, post-Avengers) After a misfired spell, Loki ends up caring for a de-aged God of Thunder. Sure, he's the God of Mischief. Babysitter? Not so much... The real question: Is reconciliation possible for both of them? It has morphed into a "Free Loki's Children" fic Rated T for Whump, Angst, and Odin Being a Heartless Bastard.
1. The Adventure Begins

At last his revenge would be complete. Loki stood over his brother's prone form, smiling.  
"Where are your allies now, brother?" He held a hand towards the thunderer, obviously beginning to work a spell.  
"Yo, Blitzen!" a voice cried in the distance. Loki glanced up to see Iron Man flying towards him, repulsors glowing as he prepared to fire. The trickster panicked and raced through the spell, adding another that would take both him and Thor back to Asgard. With a flash of light, they vanished. Tony fired. He swore when the smoke cleared, and he saw that the Asgardians were missing. Steve caught up with him a few minutes later.  
"Where'd they go? What happened, Stark?" Tony flipped up his mask.  
"I don't know. Loki kinda did his whole magic trick thing, and they're gone…I hope Thor's okay."

* * *

The two gods hurtled through the space between spaces, the rushing noise and the inexorable pulling of the portal making Loki's heart race. Part of him wondered how Thor was faring but he forced himself not to care. They landed somewhere on Asgard, where exactly, Loki was not sure. The sun was setting, and they were in a forested region. He glanced around searching for Thor. He couldn't see him. A low whimpering reached him from the underbrush. He stepped closer to investigate, and was both shocked and horrified to see Thor, but not the Thor he had battled earlier this afternoon.

He was now the Asgardian equivalent of a three-year-old. Wearing child-sized armor and a cape. Great. At least he didn't have Mjolnir.

Loki ran his hands over his slicked-back hair, completely at a loss for the first time in what seemed like forever. Sure, he had been a little shocked when he had woken out of a transmogrification spell to find that he had carried and given birth to an eight-legged foal. (He afterwards had sworn he would never do _any_ more favors for Freya or Odin.)

But this...this was unexpected.

Thor stared up at him pitifully.  
"I want mother!" he whimpered. Loki sighed.  
"Well, Mother's not here right now, so you'll just have to deal with it." Loki snapped. Thor looked as though Loki had just slapped him. Loki roughly lifted the child out of the bushes and set him on his own two feet.  
"Where are we?" Thor squeaked, staring wide-eyed at the surrounding trees. Loki rolled his eyes.  
"We're in Asgard. But quite some distance away from the palace, I assure you. So, if you wish to return home in one piece, I suggest you listen to me." Thor nodded. He glanced around once more.  
"It's dark. We camp?" he asked. Loki smirked.  
"No."  
"But…"  
"I'm the most dangerous thing in these woods, trust me. We're walking. Now, march." Loki glided through the trees at an easy pace. Thor watched his brother walk away, pausing for a moment. He almost decided that he'd stay right here, but he heard a twig snap somewhere in the distance, and he ran after Loki.  
They walked for a while in silence. Loki's mind was reeling. How had his spell turned Thor into a child? It was supposed to kill him. Now he had to deal with a child-Thor, which was infinitely more irritating than the grown up version.  
He wondered about the effects of the spell, and what exactly Thor remembered. Did he remember the battle on the Bifrost? Did he remember the fight on Stark Tower? His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a soft cry from behind him. He turned to see Thor sprawled across the ground. He stepped over to the child and picked him up and set him upright.  
"What happened?" he asked, even though it was obvious Thor had tripped on an exposed tree root. He smiled slightly as he checked the boy for injuries. Thor rubbed his eyes sleepily with his fist.  
"I'm tired…" he replied, close to tears, but he was making a good effort to be tough. Loki sensed this, and it helped cool his temper a little. Setting up camp was starting to sound like a good idea, though.  
"Just a little farther." He started to walk on, but Thor didn't follow him. He glanced back and saw a large tear slip down the child's cheek. He went back, not out of pity (never that) but because he wanted to find somewhere to rest as well.  
"Come here." He picked up his brother and started walking towards a place where he knew they could sleep in peace. Thor nodded mutely, resting his head on Loki's shoulder.  
"Thank you, Loki." he muttered before drifting off to sleep.

They stopped to spend the night in a small cave near a small creek. Thor didn't even wake up when Loki set him down in a depression in the floor.  
"He always was a heavy sleeper." Loki thought to himself. He pulled his own cloak from his shoulders and lay down across from the slumbering child. Tomorrow, he would figure something out. He had to get Thor back to his former state, but he needed to take him back to the palace. He shuddered when he imagined the All-Father's reaction to the fact that his favorite son and heir was reduced to a whimpering infant. That was one reunion he did not want to be a part of. Before he let sleep take him, he decided that until the spell wore off, he and Thor would stay here. They'd be safe, right?


	2. The Plot Thickens

**A/N: Just in case it's unclear, this story is in no way connected to my other stories (Parole on Midgard, Legendary Mischief, or any of that.) This is just something radnom I was inspired to write after hanging out with my little cousin, who looks like a mini-Thor.**

Loki awoke to see two blue eyes staring into his own. He sat up with a start, realizing that it was Thor. The events of yesterday came back in a flash.

"Loki, me's hungry!" Loki groaned and lay back.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he asked irritably. Thor pouted. "Please don't look at me like that…" he backpedaled. Thor's stomach growled, the sound making the boy giggle. Loki struggled to keep his smile to himself.

"Please, brudder? Me's hungry!" Loki closed his eyes, and wiped the sleep from his mind.

"Fine. Let's go see what we can find." Thor grinned. Loki stood up slowly.

"YES!" Thor exulted. Loki gave him a withering glare.

"We must be quiet." Thor stared up at the trickster.

"Why?"

"Because, your shouting may alert wild animals to our presence."

"Why?" Loki took a deep breath.

"Because they might decide that you'd make a good breakfast."

"Why?" This was getting old…

"Because."

"Because why?" _Count to ten, he's only a child._

"Because because."

"Why because because?"

"SHHHH! Please just be quiet." Thor cowered back a little. He paused, and cocked his head to one side. One did not have to be a seer to know what the de-aged god of thunder would say next.

"Wh…" Loki clapped a hand over the child's mouth.

"Enough! If you are quiet, I will allow you to have the first choice of whatever I manage to find for food. Deal?" Thor nodded.

"Deal." He said, the sound muffled by Loki's hand.

"Good. Now, don't pick anything unless I tell you it's safe. Understood?" He peeled his hand away from Thor's mouth.

"Yes Loki."

* * *

So, later they returned to their cave. Thor sat down with a satisfied sigh, having eaten his fill of berries and whatever else Loki deemed to be non-hazardous. Loki sat across from him.

"So, what do you remember of me?" he asked finally. Thor shrugged.

"You're my brudder."

"What more than that?" Loki asked.

"What else is there?" Thor replied innocently. He leaned forward, hoping to get a better look at what was going on outside.

"That is a story for another time." So he didn't remember anything. Loki secretly hoped that Thor would take a nap. Weren't children his age supposed do that on a regular basis? That would give him time to figure this out. He whispered a short phrase, and as expected, Thor fell asleep. Loki smiled. His brother was so cute with his eyes closed…

_Oh please tell me you're not actually becoming attached to the little crumb-cruncher._

**_No, of course not._**

_Good. Let's keep it that way. Now, how to get rid of him…_

The silence was interrupted by a flash of light. Loki stood up and rushed to the mouth of the cave. A wraith-like being stood in the shadow of a tree.

"Who are you?"

"You don't recognize your own child? For shame, Loki."

"Hela?"

"So you haven't forgotten your own daughter."

"No. What do you want?"

"Him."

"Who? Thor?"

"Yes, him."

"No. You can't have him."

"Why so protective of him? You've hated him for how long? And now you can't bear to think of losing him…What changed, father?"

"Nothing. I still hate the little brat."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"It's hardly fair. He can't defend himself. Such behavior ill-befits a prince of Asgard."

"Since when has that stopped you before? Need I remind you of the incident with Thjasse? You seemed not to care about your behavior then."

"I'm not handing Thor over to you, now leave." Hela smiled, half her face graceful and flawless, the other half rotting away.

"Fine. Then I will find a way to claim him. You will not be able to keep him from me forever, father." She raised her arms and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Loki closed his eyes. What was he going to do now? He turned back to the cave, and was surprised to see that Thor was gone. Loki ran his hands over his hair in frustration and fear.

Fear? Why was he afraid?

Hela hadn't taken him, and he couldn't have gone far on his own. A low growl echoed through the dark trees. Loki sighed, exasperated.

"Dammit."

There was nothing left to do, except to go searching for his little brother.


	3. Lost and Found

**A/N: Hi! I'm back. Sorry for taking so long, but writer's block has struck me hard, and not just when it comes to this story. But last night I was complaining to my cousin about writer's block, and I suddenly thought of an idea for this fic. So, enjoy! **

Loki had spent half the afternoon searching for Thor. No sign of the little brat. He sighed and leaned against the trunk of one of the towering pine trees. The air was chill with an autumn breeze, and it was coming from the east. From what little Loki could see of the sky, storm clouds were rolling in. Whether it was inspired by one of his brother's tantrums, or a natural occurrence, a thunderstorm was the least helpful thing in the realm at the moment. When it started pouring rain, Loki growled under his breath and stalked on.

Lightning rent the sky, followed by a crash of thunder. Loki glared at the clouds, wishing they'd go away.

"Thor?!" He shouted, hoping the boy was within hearing range. A low cry caught his attention. He glanced around, searching for the bright red cape that would stand out so well. He saw it, sure enough. There was Thor, huddled against the base of a tree, trying to stay warm. Loki picked up the drenched child, and cradled him against his chest.

"Thor, thank goodness…" He felt relief wash over him, and at the same time, he wished that he could pitch the little bastard off a cliff and save himself the trouble. Thor shivered pathetically in his brother's arms, wet through to the skin.

_There goes that idea…No wonder Odin let him get away with everything._

"Why did you run off like that?" he demanded quietly. Thor tried to answer, but his teeth were chattering so badly, he could hardly speak.

"The…l-lady sc-c-c-cared-d-d m-me. P-p-please d-d-don't l-l-let her t-take m-me…" he managed to squeak. Loki wrapped his cloak more tightly around himself and the child, trying to keep the driving rain from getting to Thor.

"I'm not going to let anyone take you, not if I can help it. Now can you make the storm go away?" Thor stared up at him with wide eyes.

"It's not me." Loki stared at the boy in disbelief. There was no lie in those innocent blue eyes.

"We'll find that cave again. I'll build a fire, and we'll get you dried off. How does that sound?"

_Oh, Norns, now he was offering to be nice to him? What was wrong with him?_

Thor nodded, his trembling becoming more severe. He clung tightly to Loki's neck.

"I love you, brother." Thor whispered, closing his eyes for the duration of the walk. Instead of replying, Loki merely held him a little tighter and quickened his stride. They made it back to the cave. Thor didn't say a word as Loki removed the child-sized armor, leaving him in his undershirt and pants. He ushered the boy over to the small fire he had conjured. He laid his own cloak on the floor, and made Thor lie down, covering him carefully. Thor cuddled into the green fabric as he launched into an explosive sneezing fit. Loki pulled the boy onto his lap, hoping to help warm him up. Now that the sun was down, the temperature had plummeted.

"Are you all right?" Loki asked softly. Thor stared at the flames blearily and nodded.

" 'm still cold, Loki." He mumbled. Loki absently rubbed Thor's back, as he had seen several mothers do for their infants when they were restless. The motion seemed to comfort Thor, and the boy soon fell asleep. Loki watched him sleep, wondering how on earth he could ever have come to hate his brother. He fell asleep to the sound of the rain dripping from the trees, and the comfortable weight of Thor on his chest.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Loki awoke hearing footsteps not far from the mouth of the cave. He quickly extinguished the fire with a spell. He held his breath, waiting. Thor shivered in his arms. Loki drew the cloak tighter about them both, hoping that whoever it was would go away. Finally after what seemed like hours, the footsteps faded into the distance. Loki was horrified when he saw a giant walking away into the forest.

_Giants! In Asgard? Impossible…Yes, I'm definitely taking Thor back tomorrow. I must warn Odin. _

* * *

He woke up before Thor did, which was a small mercy. The boy lay sprawled across his chest, totally unconscious. Loki moved slightly, and felt his back pop. He gave a muffled moan when he sat up. Thor stirred slightly in his arms, before going back to sleep. Loki leaned against the cave wall, staring out at the dreary forest. He was not necessarily looking forward to what he had to do.

Slowly, the boy awoke. Loki jostled him slightly, trying to rouse him. Thor rubbed his eyes with his fist, and sat up, staring at Loki in confusion.

"Hmmn?"

"Wake up, Thor. We're going home today." Loki said quietly. Thor buried his face in his brother's chest again.

"Don' wanna…" he mumbled, breaking into a fit of coughing. Loki rubbed Thor's back, not able to do much more to help the boy. His eyes were watering by the time the coughing subsided.

"I'm tired, Loki…and I hurt…" he whimpered. It was pitiful really. The god of thunder reduced to this, and coming down with a cold to boot. Not how Loki had wanted to spend his day, but apparently he had no choice now.

"I know. I'll carry you if I have to." Loki whispered. Thor wrapped his arms around his brother's neck, and closed his eyes.

**_Why have you turned so soft?_**

_He needs my help. He's a little boy who needs to be with his parents._

**_And what does that make you? Odin will just as likely kill you for this as thank you for bringing his son back._**

_I'm trying! I have to keep him safe._

**_Why? _**

_I don't know._

**_You should have killed him when you had the chance!_**

_No. He's only a child. Even if he is Thor, I could never harm a child._

**_Oh, so you could allow your own children to be taken from you and subjected to all manner of tortures, but you won't allow any harm to come to sweet, innocent, little Thor? The golden prince, Odin's favored son…your sworn enemy? _**

_Don't ask me._

**_Think of Hela. Thrown into Niflheim when she had scarce drawn her first breath. What about Fenrir? Or Jormagund? Bound with chains, or thrown into the depths of the sea. You paid them no heed when they cried out for their father to help them. For their father to save them. Now your brother is helpless, and you show him kindness. Why do you CARE for the little nuisance?!_**

_I don't know…_

Loki glanced up at the sky and set out across the plains the surrounded the city. He could see the golden spires of the palace gleaming in the sunrise.

Home.

Well, not his home anymore. His prison, perhaps, and quite possibly the place he would die. Thor slept in his arms, unaware of the silent debate.

Loki stopped to rest around noon. Thor released his hold on him, and walked around a bit.

"Do you think you can walk for a bit?" Loki asked, hoping that he might get a break from carrying him. It's not that he was that heavy, but carrying him over a long distance took its toll. Thor nodded. He glanced around.

"Yes. Where are we?" Loki got down on Thor's level and pointed to the city walls in the distance.

"See that? We're almost home." Thor's eyes lit up when he recognized the palace.

"And we safe there?"

"Yes, you'll be safe there." Loki replied. Thor smiled as he stared at the castle in the distance. Then he became somber again.

"What 'bout you?" he asked. _Oh, so he did catch that…_

"Don't worry about me."

"You're my brudder! You should be safe too!" Loki closed his eyes.

"Thor, I've done some really bad things, and they will not be exactly happy to see me. You must realize that." Thor stared at him in confusion.

"But you help me. You're not bad." Loki chuckled softly as he swung his brother up in his arms.

"Whatever happens to me, remember that. Do you promise?" Thor nodded, locking his arms around Loki's neck.

"I promise…"

"Good."


	4. An Unfriendly Welcome

As Loki had expected, the guards met them just inside the gate. What he didn't expect was for Odin to be there with them.

"Apprehend him." The king ordered. "Where is my son, Trickster?" Loki unwrapped Thor and set him on his feet.

"Remember your promise to me, brother." He whispered to the boy.

"What's happening? Loki?" Thor watched as Loki was forced to his knees and bound.

"Thor, listen to Father." Loki said. Thor's eyes filled with tears.

"But where are they taking you?" Loki shook himself somewhat free of the guards and beckoned Thor closer.

"I might not get the chance to see you again. This is goodbye, brother." Thor threw his arm around Loki's neck.

"Please don't go, Loki." Thor whimpered in his ear. Why were they taking away the one person who'd cared for him the past few days? It just wasn't _fair._ One of the guards kicked Loki in the side. The trickster gave a pained cry. Thor charged the guard, beating his tiny fists uselessly against the armor.

"Stop it! Don't hurt my brudder!" Odin watched the unfolding scene, baffled.

"Desist, Thor. Come with me." Thor stared up at the guard, tears streaming down his face.

"But Loki…"

"Will receive his just punishment. Come, my son." Odin took Thor's tiny hand in his own and pulled the boy along with him. The guards hauled Loki back to his feet and forced him to walk forward. He was immediately taken to a cell.

He winced when he heard the door slam shut. His hands were free, and he rubbed at the new marks on his wrists, hoping to get the blood flowing again. Odin would be here soon. He heard footsteps coming down the hall towards him. Odin stood outside the cell, staring at him with a mixture of disgust, curiosity, and anger. Loki returned the stare proudly. Odin did, after all, deserve this open disdain.

"Something troubles you, All-father?" Loki heard himself saying. Odin nodded.

"What have you done to my son?" he demanded quietly. Loki shrugged.

"I know not how he came to be in his juvenile state."

"You can't undo anything?"

"If I knew what I did in the first place, I might be able to, but since I was in a bit of a rush, I don't know what went wrong." Odin nodded, obviously reigning in his temper.

"Will the spell wear off? If so, when?" Loki sat down on the hard stone bench, holding his hands palms up.

"I cannot say. It could be a couple days, or it could be longer. I really don't know."

"I need you to give me more than that, Loki." Odin growled. Loki laughed then.

"I have nothing more to give. But since when has that stopped you from taking?" Loki spat venomously. It was not taking information he spoke of. Odin knew exactly what incident he was referring to.

"Loki, you know why I did the things I did…"

"They were innocent. They had done no wrong."

"So you change my son into a child to avenge your loss upon me?" Loki laughed quietly.

"Oh, believe me, when I come for my revenge, you will know it. And no, I cannot undo the spell."

"We're done here, then." Odin turned to leave.

"Odin, you may want to hear what I say next." Odin paused in his stride.

"Yes?" he asked. Loki smiled.

"There are giants wandering the woods of your western borders. I saw them with my own eyes."

"How do I know that you did not let them into Asgard through your own arts?"

"Believe me, if I'd brought them myself, I'd be attacking your gates with an army of the monsters, and your son would be long dead. It would have been simple to dispose of him. But since I'm more civilized than that, I must be telling you the truth."

"I shall have my rangers look into it." Odin conceded. Loki nodded. "But do not think that I will let go the matter of Thor's predicament."

"The thought never crossed my mind." Loki said blithely. Odin was angry, but he was doing quite a good job of hiding it.

"Good." Odin turned to leave. Loki grasped at the iron grate.

"All-father?" he called.

"What?" Odin slowly turned around.

"How long am I to be held prisoner here?" Odin's gaze bored into him.

"As long as it takes." Loki leaned his forehead against the bars. So, forever, then. He waited until the king was gone before he punched the door with all his might. It didn't even leave a dent. Magic. He shrugged. It made sense to imbue the cell with a spell that would keep him in. Odin's power was far greater than his own. There would be no escape. He stalked over to the bench, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

**A/N: The next chapter will contain triggers pertaining to losing a child. **


	5. The Flashback Chapter

**A/N: Double Update! Whoo-hoo! Not going to make a habit out of this, but enjoy. This chapter explains why Loki was never really close to his own children. A Wild Clover expressed her concern over why Loki would care for Thor, but not for his own children. I had planned this all along, and was delighted to get such a reaction. **

**Thanks to all the guest reviewers as well! Keep 'em coming. I love them!**

Odin returned to his chambers, contemplating the recent events. He took his seat on the throne. Ever since Loki had discovered his heritage, Odin had felt more and more alienated from him. But perhaps it had started earlier.

* * *

_Loki found Frigga and Odin walking in the garden._

_ "Father! Mother! I have wonderful news!" Frigga turned to see Loki smiling._

_ "What is it, my son?" she asked. Loki's grin grew wider, if that was at all possible._

_ "Angrboda is with child. My child!" he exclaimed. Frigga threw her arms around her son._

_ "This is wonderful news!" Loki returned the embrace, his excitement spilling over. Odin was silent during this whole exchange. Loki was so wrapped up in his good news that he failed to see the king turn on his heel and walk away._

* * *

Yes, it had begun that day. Odin's mind drifted through the past, calling to mind all that had been said or done concerning Loki's children.

* * *

_Most fathers would be delighted to become grandfathers. Odin, however, wasn't. His dislike of the situation became even greater when it became obvious the Angrboda carried not one, but three children. _

_Then, the night that the Norns had come to him with their foretellings. The eldest of these children would embody Death itself. The second would be Pain, and the third, Sin. Odin of course was horrified by these bodings. Then he'd listened to the Norns concerning Ragnarok. The eldest would lead the assault against Asgard and all the realms. The second would be his own death, and the third would slay his beloved son. He couldn't let that happen. _

* * *

As he thought back, he was not proud of what he'd done in the wake of receiving such grim tidings. He had driven his son farther away, and through his actions, brought about the destruction he had tried so hard to avoid.

* * *

_Loki sat outside the healer's chambers, head in his hands. His children were dead, from what he'd heard. Stillborn, all three, and his wife had died in childbirth. The healers hadn't been able to do anything to help her. Frigga found him there, and silently sat beside him, not saying a word. Loki stared blankly at the door, sensing Frigga's sympathy. _

_He didn't want sympathy, he wanted his wife back. _

_Even if he couldn't ever meet his children, he wanted so badly to seek comfort in his beloved's arms, and perhaps give comfort in return. He'd never see Angrboda again._

_Finally the dam broke and tears spilled down his cheeks. Frigga laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. Loki ignored the contact, his body wracked with silent sobs. His mother pulled him into her arms. _

_ "Why?" he croaked. She stroked his hair, unable to respond. Oh, how much it hurt her to see him like this. She knew there would be no comfort for him, not for a long while at least. "Why did she have to die? I-I loved her so…" he drew a shuddering breath. "Why?"_

_ "Oh, Loki…no one knows why this happens. I'm so sorry, my son. So, so sorry." Loki acted as though he didn't hear. Finally he moved to get away from her arms._

_ "I thank you for your sympathy, Mother, but I wish to be left alone now." He whispered hoarsely. Frigga inclined her head, and slowly stood up. She kissed him on the forehead, and disappeared down the hall._

* * *

Odin had seen many things. He had also done many things. Placing that spell over Angrboda to ensure her death was one of the more regrettable. Keeping his actions concerning the children from Frigga and the rest of the royal house was by far the worst. Of course, he hadn't really killed his adoptive son's offspring. He had taken the infant Hela to Niflheim, and left her there. Fenrir was bound and sent to Amsvartnir, an island just off of Niflheim's desolate shores. Jormagundar, he cast into the oceans of Midgard. He had thought that the problem was taken care of. He hadn't counted upon Hela actually surviving and coming back, bringing tidings of her brothers to Loki.

* * *

_Loki's wrath rivaled Thor's as he walked forward to the throne._

_ "What have you done?" he demanded. Odin watched him impassively._

_ "What I must in order to keep the realms safe."_

_ "But, they were mere infants!"_

_ "They were a danger to us all! I did only what I had to!" Loki took a staggering step back._

_ "You killed her. You killed Angrboda, and lied to me. You made me believe that my own children were dead…" A shudder ran through him. "I loved her, Father, and you took her from me without even thinking of what the outcome might be…My own children curse my name because of you."_

_ "They are monsters, Loki. They were from the start."_

_ "I would have still loved them! But what would you know of love?" he spat._

_ "Silence!" Odin stood up. Loki clenched his jaw, and left._


	6. A Deal?

**A/N: Hi! Sorry about the wait again, but real life is really getting in my way a lot lately. Oh well. Enjoy! I've drawn a couple Loki pictures which are now posted on my deviantArt account (my username is sigyn-of-asgard) One of them is directly related to this fic, the other is just for the hell of it. **

**Edit: My dear Sister, vamp of alium sativum pointed out a couple inconsistencies, which are now mended. Thanks sis!**

* * *

Loki awoke to the tramping feet of two guards coming down the hall towards his cell. Thunder crashed around the palace, and this time, the trickster was fairly certain that Thor was the cause. The guards came to a stop in front of the cell.

"That Lady Frigga requests your presence." Loki grinned.

"She does? Did she say why?" The guards looked uneasy.

"No." The soldier flinched as a particularly large bolt of lightning lit up the corridor. Loki chuckled.

"I shall venture a guess that it is for the prince's sake that she summons me?" The first soldier nodded.

"Indeed. Now, unlock the door, warden." The guard ordered. The warden took the ring of keys down from its hook, and entered the cell. Loki held out his wrists, knowing that they would put restraints on him, to prevent him from using magic. A wise move on their part, but honestly, he didn't really feel like making this any messier than it already was. The warden clamped the cuff bracelets onto his arms and allowed the soldiers to take him away.

* * *

They took him up to the chambers. He could hear Thor pitching fit and Frigga trying to comfort him. When he appeared in the doorway, Frigga smiled.

"He wants you, Loki. He refuses to listen to anyone else." She said with a small smile. Loki grinned, taking Thor from her.

"Come here brother." The little boy buried his face in Loki's tunic.

"I missed you." he said plaintively. Loki ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Well, I'm here now. How about we dry those tears?" Thor nodded, tiredly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Loki bounced him gently. "And perhaps some sleep? We were walking all day."

"NO!" Thor protested. Loki gave him a look.

"I promise I'll be right here when you wake up. Does this satisfy you?" Thor considered it for a moment.

"Promise?"

"You have my word." Thor wriggled free of Loki's arms, and pulled him over to the bed.

"Rest with me?" he said, patting the blankets next to him. Loki laughed, and grudgingly lay down, closing his eyes. Something jumped on his chest, nearly taking his breath away.

"Ouch." He opened his eyes slightly. Thor looked sheepish.

"Sorry…" He curled up in a little ball on Loki's chest. Frigga watched both her sons fall asleep. Really, it was a shame that Angrboda had died. Loki would've made an excellent father.

* * *

A guard came to the doorway, interrupting the silence.

"Queen Frigga, the All-father requests your presence." Frigga nodded and followed him down to the throne room. A mysterious figure in a long black cloak stood before the high seat.

"Queen Frigga, it is an honor to finally meet you." The voice was rough, yet had a lilting quality to it at the same time.

"Odin, who is this?" Frigga asked nervously. The figure turned around, pulling the hood down, revealing a beautiful face, with a curtain of long black hair covering one side of it. It looked so familiar, like Loki's, except the angles were softer, more beautiful than severe. Odin looked uncomfortable. It was as though his darkest fears had come back to bite him.

"Hela Lokidottir of Niflheim." Odin said quietly. Frigga glanced at her husband in confusion.

"Loki has no children. What are you saying?" Hela laughed, the sound grating on Frigga's ears like an ill-tuned fiddle.

"Then you were lied to. I am indeed Loki's daughter." Frigga stared at the woman, slackjawed.

"But Loki's children died. His wife died…"

"His wife was murdered. A spell placed over her to ensure she died, and the children disposed of…No one would be any the wiser." Frigga shook her head, remembering the feeling of Loki sobbing against her, leaning on her for comfort when there was none to give. She turned to the king.

"You…you did this?" Frigga gasped. Odin looked grim.

"It was for the best." He replied. Hela laughed.

"For the best? Was it for the best when you threw me into that wasteland of a realm, where the very air ate away at my flesh? Was it for the best when you bound my brother so tightly he bled? Or when you threw Jormagundar into the ocean without a thought?" Her voice became deadly quiet. "Was it for the best when you laid that spell upon my mother, knowing full well what it would do to my father?" She turned to face him. "And now your house will suffer my wrath because of what you've done. You took me and my brothers away from my father, and I shall take your son from you in return." Frigga gasped. Surely she couldn't mean it…

"Can we do nothing to dissuade you?" Hela turned her half dead gaze on the queen.

"No. I will have my recompense. It may not be right away, but when I do come for him, you will not stop me." Frigga fell to her knees at the feet of the Hel-queen, clutching at the tattered black hem of her gown.

"Please, take me instead. Thor did nothing against you. He didn't know..." Hela stared down at her coldly.

"My quarrel is not with you. Get up." Odin stood up and pounded Gungnir on the floor.

"Hela, I demand that you leave my presence this moment." Hela narrowed her good eye at the king.

"Very well. But I demand my revenge within three days. I hope you're ready, All-father." The last syllable was spat with such venom, even Frigga cringed. Odin nodded.

"So be it." Hela vanished in a cloud of foul-smelling smoke. Frigga turned to her husband.

"What have you done?"


	7. How Desperate Are You?

**A/N: So, apparently several readers really wanted to see a certain someone get slapped by another certain someone. I think you all know who I'm talking about, and I am more than willing to oblige. I hope it lives up to what you expected! **

**Let me again remind you that this is in no way connected to my other Loki series of stories. So, without further ado...**

* * *

Odin stared at his wife. She wanted an explanation? Fine, she would get one.

"I did it to protect us. To protect Asgard. The Norns told me…" He drew in a deep breath. "The Serpent would kill Thor, and the Wolf would kill me. Hela and her denizens would attack our realm with fire and plague, and our people would be scattered…I couldn't allow that. I did what I had to. Beloved, you must understand…" Frigga shook her head, and rushed forward.

She slapped him. Hard.

Odin stumbled back, gingerly touching the red mark on his cheek.

"Do you realize what you've done? What you've started?" she fumed. "Your actions have brought about that which you were trying to prevent!"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"You know very well that the Norns are always vague in their wording, and in the tales they tell. I would know! What you've done is unforgiveable, Odin. It's no wonder Loki turned against us, especially with a father like you."

"Silence, woman!" he barked. Frigga's eyes flashed dangerously.

"No. I will not keep silent. You are destroying your own house, and through your arrogance, you've set in motion destruction you couldn't possibly imagine. You took Loki's children from him, and now your own son is in danger." She stepped back, still unable to speak. "I hope you're willing to deal with the consequences of what you've started." She turned heel, and walked from the room, her footfalls barely audible. Odin stood, watching her leave. His cheek still on fire from her blow, he turned slowly and sat down on his throne.

* * *

Loki awoke to see Frigga watching him. Her eyes were sad.

"You know now, don't you?" Frigga nodded. Loki took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Loki, I'm sorry." Loki laughed.

"What have you to apologize for? You didn't murder my wife because of some prophecy. Though with your foresight, I do wonder what you made of the news, and whether or not you could've seen it coming." Frigga shook her head.

"The Norns may give me the gift of foresight, but I'm not permitted to share that which I've seen. It is my curse."

"Curses, blessings…what's the difference? No matter what, I'm always going to be the one who has no chance at happiness." He muttered bitterly. Frigga didn't have any response to that. Loki stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm his emotions. He had kept everything bottled up so long that he didn't even know where to begin. "I was never meant to be happy, I don't think." Frigga's heart broke as the words fell on her ears.

"It may seem dark now, but joy may yet be around the corner for you, my son. Believe me." Loki raised an eyebrow. Perhaps Frigga was seeing his future, and was trying to tell him, but couldn't come right out and say it.

"Maybe. But I don't see it. Don't give me false hope." A knock sounded at the door. Frigga opened it a crack to see Odin standing in the hall.

"I need to speak with Loki." He said flatly. Frigga narrowed her eyes, but let him in anyway.

"What could you possibly want now, All-father?" Loki sneered from the bed, careful not to disturb Thor, who was still dozing contentedly beside him.

"I come to make a deal." Loki closed his eyes.

"Too many more deals, All-father, and you'll bargain your kingdom away until you've got nothing left."

"I require your services, Trickster."

"My aid comes at a steep price now, Odin. I will no longer blindly serve you as I once did."

"I am willing to pay whatever you demand." Loki opened his eyes again, glaring at the king.

"I don't ask for gold, or empty titles, nor anything the House of Odin has to offer." He sat up, cocking his head to one side, popping a vertebra back into place. Odin curled his lip in disgust. Loki smirked. Frigga watched the exchange impassively. Right now, she only cared about what happened to her sons. Odin could go to Helheim, for all she cared.

"What do you demand?" he asked quietly.

"For you to suffer as I have. But, we all know you'll find some way to get what you want from me without upholding your end of the bargain."

"You will keep Hela from taking Thor. Until he is himself again, you shall be his caretaker." Loki glanced down at the sleeping child on the bed.

"It could be a long while." Odin stared at him evenly.

"Indeed it could. But do this, and I will grant you your freedom." Loki raised an eyebrow.

"I will be free whether you permit it or not. That holds no reward for me." He grinned. "But I will watch over him. Out of the goodness of my heart." Noting Odin's confused look. "Oh, you didn't think I had a heart, did you?" The king looked uncomfortable.

"I didn't say that." he defended. Loki chuckled.

"Oh, but you were thinking it. Don't lie to the Liesmith, Odin. I will care for him, and he shall be returned to you unharmed."

"Thank you for taking on this task for me." Loki glared at Odin.

"I'm not doing it for you. It's for him. He played no part in Angrboda's death, he doesn't deserve Hela's wrath." Loki paused. "He may be an idiot sometimes, but he is my brother." Frigga felt a strange sense of relief. Loki was duplicitous, yes, but at his last sentence, she trusted him more than she had ever trusted anyone before. There just might be some hope for him yet...


	8. The Haven

**A/N: Hi guys, I'm back. So, I've figured out a way for my computer to work...for now. Thus, this chapter came into being! Thanks to my cousin TFKpuppet for the idea of where Loki should take Thor. Also, a special shout-out to skydancer2ooo. How did you know what the next stop on Loki's itinerary would be? It's like you're reading over my shoulder as I write. **

**jaquelinelittle: Your comment has brought me much amusement. Let's just leave it at that. You are totally right. But he will learn his lesson. Just not in that way...**

* * *

Thor sat out in the hall with Sif and the Warriors Three. He had vague recollections of times he'd spent with them, but he wasn't quite sure of how to think of them now. Everything was so confusing, and admittedly scary. He hoped that Loki wasn't in trouble. He sat on Sif's lap, playing absent-mindedly with the corner of his cloak, silent for once. His friends weren't quite sure how to react to the fact that their prince was a child. They had looked up to him for so long, both literally and figuratively.

"Thor, what exactly do you remember?" Sif finally asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Thor glanced up at her.

"I remember all of you. It's all just fuzzy, though. You know?"

"I understand" the woman replied. "Do you remember what Loki did?"

"Yes, and I remember he fell."

"Do you remember why he fell?" Thor looked as though he was thinking very hard.

"No. But I know he came back." Fandral shook his head in wonder.

"You brought him back. He didn't come willingly." Thor gave the warrior a canny look.

"Did he?"

_Meanwhile, in the throne room…_

"Do you have a plan yet, Loki?" Odin asked. Never had Loki seen the old man look so defeated. It gave him a shiver of delight, but at the same time, he realized how much of this had been his fault.

"I have an idea or two…"

"Would you care to share?" the king asked.

"I wish to take him to Midgard. He has friends there who will help keep him safe." Odin thought about it for a moment.

"Good plan, except for that fact that on Midgard, you are a wanted man. What do you plan to do about that?" Loki narrowed his eyes. Leave it to Odin to point out the obvious technicalities.

"The friends I speak of are not the 'Avengers', as they call themselves. No, I was thinking of his friends from New Mexico. Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis."

"The mortal woman? How can she help?"

"If I have someone to watch Thor, I will be able to guard all three. Believe me, I have given this much thought." Odin nodded, still wary of the plan.

"And have you given thought to how you will undo the enchantment over my son?" Loki was visibly irritated by this insistence.

"Believe me, All-father, if I could undo the enchantment, I would have by now. He's even more annoying as a child than he is as an adult." Odin glared at him, not appreciating the humor.

"When do you leave?"

"As soon as possible, if you don't mind." Loki glanced over at Frigga, who nodded softly.

"Good luck, my son."

"Thank you, Mother." Loki turned to Odin. "Are you through speaking to me?" Without waiting for the king to respond, he continued. "Because, I, for one, am ready to go _now_." He turned on his heel and went to find where Sif and the Warriors Three were waiting for him to take Thor off their hands.

* * *

Sif saw Loki come around the corner of the hall. She despised Loki. With a passion. The incident involving her 'haircut' was unforgiveable in her eyes. She hated him, and he knew it, and always made sure to taunt her with courtesy. A smile spread across his face when he saw her.

"Ah, Sif, 'tis a pleasure to see you after so long." He said smoothly, bowing. Sif was about to strike back verbally, when Thor jumped out of her arms and ran to Loki, hugging his legs.

"What are we gonna do now, Loki?" The trickster softened at the innocent question. He picked Thor up and set him on his shoulder.

"We are going somewhere where I can keep you safe." Thor nodded.

"Where?"

"Midgard."

* * *

Darcy stared at the two figures standing in the apartment parking lot. Jane wasn't much better. But at least Jane had a reason to be shocked. Her boyfriend was a child now. Loki sensed her thoughts, an amused smile crossing his face…

"What did you do to him?" Jane asked, absolutely horrified. Loki set Thor on the ground, and the little boy ran over to Jane. She picked him up, hugging him protectively against her shoulder. Loki rolled his eyes.

"How many times must I answer this question? I do not know how my spell turned him into a child." Loki growled. Darcy stepped between Loki and Jane.

"Watch it. I will not hesitate to zap you." She brandished the taser. Loki chuckled.

"It wouldn't do any good." Darcy fired. Sure enough, the charges stopped a mere three inches from his chest, snapping and popping uselessly.

"Dang." She remarked. Loki smirked.

"So, what do you want?" Jane asked, finally finding her tongue. Loki became more serious.

"I just need a place to stay until I can figure out how to change him back." He paused a moment before adding a half-hearted "Please." Jane glanced over at the posh apartment she was now able to afford, thanks to SHIELD.

"I'm not sure I have enough space…" she said quietly. Loki shrugged.

"I'll sleep outside. I had been planning on that anyways." He replied. Darcy watched the exchange, feeling a little sorry for Loki.

"Jane, your apartment has three bedrooms, I'm sure you can handle it." she chided. Jane shot her a half-hearted glare. Loki noticed.

"I'll sleep in the garage if it makes you feel better. All I ask is that you keep Thor with you."

"I can do that. But what are you doing?"

"Keeping him safe. Trust me, it is not a tale for this time of night." Thor laid his head on Jane's shoulder.

"I'm tired…" he muttered. Jane hugged him a little tighter, almost without thinking about it.

"We'll get you settled in, then." She took him up the stairs, and was about to let Loki make good on his offer to stay in the garage, but Thor perked up a little, realizing what was happening.

"He comes too." He demanded. Jane turned to look at Loki.

"Okay, fine."

* * *

The next morning, Thor woke up first. He glanced over at Loki, who was still asleep. The events of the last few days had been confusing and scary at times, but at least he was still cared for.

He didn't understand most of what was going on. He could barely remember anything that had happened before he and Loki had appeared in the forest. Everything else was a blur, and he had a feeling that he didn't want to remember. It seemed kind of like a bad dream, where you don't remember what it was, but you know it wasn't good…But he knew that he needed to get that memory back. But until then, he'd just enjoy being with his brother.

"Loki, wake up!" Loki groaned in his sleep, and cracked one eye open.

"Why?" he mumbled, preparing to go back to sleep. Thor pounced on his chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"Because!" Thor said, a little glint coming into his eyes. Loki laughed slightly.

"I can't get up if you're pinning me." Thor laughed, but he moved.

"Now will you get up?" Loki smiled and pretended to fall back asleep. Thor grabbed his arm and shook him gently again. "Loki, come on! Jane's waiting for us." Loki held still. Thor leaned in close to his brother's face, pulling his eyelid back gently. "Wake up." Loki smirked as he grabbed Thor and held him at arms length above him. Thor giggled madly.

"I am awake." Loki growled, trying not to laugh. Thor grinned as Loki pulled him into a hug.

"What are we doing today?" Loki set Thor down on the mattress and sat up, stretching.

"We're going to stay with Darcy while Jane goes to work. How does that sound?" Thor nodded, his blue eyes puzzled. Loki smiled. "Good. Now let's go find Jane or Darcy, and maybe some breakfast." He stood up and set Thor on the hardwood floor. The little boy darted out the door, and down the hall. Loki froze for a moment as the spectral images of three children ran past him. Their imaginary shouts echoed in his head, and he knew he was seeing what could have been. The little girl turned and smiled back at him, and he felt a lump rise in his throat. He blinked away tears, and then the images were gone. Thor was standing at the end of the hall, waiting for him.

"Come on, Loki! Let's go!" Loki smiled, and quickened his stride.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Thor grabbed his hand and pulled him along.


	9. A Softer Side of Loki?

**A/N: Sorry there's not much Thor in this one. He'll come into the next few a little more. I wanted to focus on Loki and Darcy a little more.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Jane walked to the place where her security detail would pick her up. It was normal. They had arranged it so that they would come and get her, and take her to the base so that even she didn't know where it was. It was kind of freaky, but in a really cool way. She had her own team of scientists that would gather information, and she worked alongside Dr. Selvig to make sense of the data gathered.

She was glad that she had this job. It definitely beat scraping by, trying to get enough money put together for buying new equipment, and having enough left over for food and rent. Her paycheck had jumped from virtually nothing to at least 6 figures. She would've been perfectly happy with 5, but who was she to complain? Now all she needed was her man, and she was all set.

But last night she'd learned that her man was now a child.

_Damn it, Loki, why'd you have to go off the deep end? Couldn't you forgive Thor for his arrogance? He's different now, and he was trying to make it up to you…_

Then it struck her that the brothers were not like humans in that regard. One did not simply wipe out a millennium of wrongs overnight, or with a simple apology. Maybe Loki was a little justified in his rage, but it didn't give him permission to kill innocent people, like those in New York. Or Coulson. A new thought struck her then.

If Loki was back on earth, SHIELD would not be happy if they found that she'd offered him a place to stay.

Oh, God, what a world of trouble she'd be in if they found out…

She took a deep breath, and resolved to not let anything slip.

* * *

Darcy faced a bit of a dilemma, herself. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with Thor in his child-like state. Loki, however seemed to have a handle on the situation. Thor listened to his brother without question. So, really, the mortal girl was babysitting Loki. An interesting occupation, most certainly. Thor was content with a pile of Legos in the corner, happily building and tearing down miniature fortresses. Which left Loki and Darcy to awkward silence, and equally awkward attempts at conversation.

"So, why did you get mad at him in the first place?" Darcy asked suddenly. Loki looked puzzled for a moment.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"No. I've already put the majority of it behind me, and there's nothing to be gained by discussing it with you." Loki said, a hint of irritation coloring his tone. Darcy huffed in response.

"Okay, so can you tell me anything about the spell? What do you think will get rid of it?" she prodded. Loki became thoughtful.

"It's not what I think will end the spell, it's what I know will end the spell." Loki said darkly.

"You know how to break it?" Darcy whispered, shocked. Loki nodded once.

"Indeed I do. After much thought, I have stumbled upon it." Darcy blinked in confusion.

"Then why haven't you done anything about it?" Loki smiled.

"Wouldn't you agree that he's rather sweet in this form?" he said smoothly. Darcy felt like he was lying, but there was also a note of sincerity in his voice, which was misleading. She reasoned back and forth; was he lying, or wasn't he? She couldn't tell, so, she let the subject go. Loki watched her, smiling. "Something troubles you?"

"I…I don't know. You're a real troll, you know that?" His eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Troll? I'm afraid I don't follow…" Darcy laughed.

"Nevermind." After a moment, she spoke again. "So, do you have kids?" Loki did his best to remain expressionless, but the mortal girl seemed far too perceptive to miss the pained look in his eyes.

"N…"

"You do. Don't try to lie to me." Darcy smirked. Loki chuckled slightly.

"Four. Are you satisfied?" Obviously not. Darcy pounced on this information.

"What are their names?" Loki smiled. Her curiosity was charming, but he didn't want to give in to that as he had when a certain spy set out to interrogate him. Apparently he had no choice. Her willingness to listen and ask questions worked better than any truth serum might have.

"Sleipnir, Fenrir, and Jormagundar are my sons, and Hela is my daughter." He thought for a moment before continuing. "But they were all taken from me. I'm a monster, and they, by extension, must also be monsters. Or at least that was Odin's reasoning, I suppose. Why do you ask?"

"You seem to be really good with kids."

"I'll admit, I do love my children, but I never got the chance to get to know them."

"That's too bad. So, what happened to them?" Loki was silent for a moment.

"I'm not sure. Odin changed Jormagundar into a serpent, and left him on this realm. Fenrir was imprisoned in Asgard." His voice cracked a bit, and he fell silent.

"What about the girl? Hela?" She watched him closely, immediately regretting asking. Loki laughed slightly.

"She…Well, she's the reason I brought Thor here. Odin left her in the realm of the dead." Darcy noticed a tear gleaming on the edge of his eye, and tactfully failed to mention it. Loki continued; glad to finally have someone to listen to him. "She was disfigured in Niflheim somehow, either by the atmosphere or the residents thereof. She rightfully blames Odin for it. She had been planning to kill Thor, as revenge to Odin for taking her from me. When I turned Thor into a child, that seemed to make her task all the easier. But I couldn't let her take him."

"What, are you the only one allowed to try to kill your brother?"

"I never tried to kill him." Darcy crossed her arms.

"I don't believe you. What about that big silver destructo-bot thing? It killed him." Loki's eyes widened.

"I knew that Odin had banished Thor, I didn't realize that he'd made him mortal as well. How was I to know that it would kill him, not merely distract him?" Darcy raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips as she thought over this new bit of information.

"I suppose you've got a point."


	10. Almost Normal

**A/N: Oh, my lord. The reviews. You guys are amazing. So, here's the next chapter. Enjoy. **

* * *

Jane walked through the door, tired. She hadn't done anything strenuous, but it was amazing how tired one was after using your brain…

She had expected to find her apartment in shambles, but, surprisingly, it was still standing. No frightening plumes of smoke, or flames shooting out the roof. And it was quiet. Hopefully, that was a good thing.

She peered into the living room, and saw Loki, Darcy, and Thor sitting around the glass-topped coffee table, enjoying Thai take-out.

"Hey, what's going on?" She glanced around. Loki looked up from his dinner and smiled.

"Welcome home, Miss Foster." He said with a sly smile.

"Oh my god, you guys cleaned?" Darcy nodded, holding out one of the boxes to her friend.

"Yup. And we got you take-out, too." Thor set down his plate and ran over to her, bringing a small-ish Lego structure.

"I made this for you!" he crowed triumphantly. Jane took it, smiling. Thor was quite attractive as an adult, but as a child, he was _so_ adorable.

"What is it?"

"It's the palace! I wanna take you there sometime! It's amazing. The real-life one, not this one…" He grinned up at her. Jane glanced over at Loki, trying not to laugh.

"It's great, Thor. Thank you." The boy walked back over to his food, digging in with the same gusto that he had shown as a grown-up. Jane sat next to Loki.

"So, whose idea was it to clean?" Darcy pointed at Loki, unable to answer, thanks to a mouthful of pork pad thai. Jane raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry. If it offends you, I can put everything back where it was…dust included." Loki offered, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, no, it's fine. It's…uh, great, actually." Thor interrupted the conversation with a yawn. He climbed up onto Loki's lap, nestling into his brother's arms, looking like he belonged there. Loki brushed his bangs back away from his face.

"Tired, Thor?" he asked, squeezing him lightly. Thor nodded silently.

"Mmhmm." Loki stood up, holding his brother to his chest.

"If you'll excuse me, ladies…" he said. Jane nodded. Loki took him down the hall, and into the guest bedroom they now shared.

"Loki, when can we go home?" Thor asked.

"I'm not sure, Thor. But I promise to get us back as soon as possible." He pulled the blankets up over Thor and started to leave.

"Loki?" He stopped, and turned back to the lump under the covers.

"Yes?"

"I love you." Loki wasn't sure how to respond. He sat down on the edge of the bed. How badly he wanted to respond with 'I love you too', but how could he lie to that innocent face? He leaned down over the boy, and kissed his forehead.

"I know you do." He whispered, before gently ruffling his hair. "Sleep well, brother."

"Night Loki."

* * *

Loki came back out into the living room to see both Jane and Darcy speaking in whispers.

"What did I miss?" he asked. Jane looked up, her face almost unreadable. Her eyes however were like a book. She still didn't trust him. Not unexpected, but still a nuisance.

"I really need to know what's going on, Loki. If SHIELD knew you were here…" Loki's eyes widened with alarm.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" Jane shook her head.

"No, but if I'm going to keep this from the people I work for, you'd better give me a damn good reason to."

"I don't know what to tell you."

"You've gotta give me something. I can't just keep this…" Loki cut her off with a gesture.

"Yes you can, and you will, because Thor's safety may depend upon it. If you truly care for him, you will tell no one." He ran his hands over his hair, completely at wit's end. "I came to you, because…I thought you might be more accepting than the Avengers. Please. I'm doing all I can, but I need to arrange something before I can try to change Thor back."

"How are you going to change him back?" Jane asked. "You've mentioned it several times, but you haven't made any move to do it. How do I know you're actually trying?"

"I know this seems counter-intuitive, but, I need you to trust that I'm doing everything in my power to get my brother back." His eyes were pleading. "Miss Foster, I am not lying. I couldn't lie about something like this. I swear."

"Okay. What do you need me to do besides that?"

"Just knowing that you're not going to reveal our presence to SHIELD is enough. I don't want to bring you any farther into this than I have to." The moment was interrupted by the lights flickering out. A greenish pale light appeared in the center of the room.

"Very clever, Father." A voice said. Jane shrieked when Hela's black-robed figure appeared. Darcy said nothing, just tucked herself into the corner of the couch, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible.

"Hela, you shouldn't have come here." Loki said quietly. Hela smiled a little.

"When have either of us been know to willingly do the bidding of others? I had to inherit something from you. My eyes, half of my face, the rebel attitude…" she purred. "And now, my unwillingness to let go of the past."

"You already know that answer, Hela. You aren't taking him." Hela bared her teeth in a feral snarl.

"I'm not coming for him tonight. I actually wished to have words with my dear father." The sarcasm was biting, and Loki winced. The term 'father' hardly applied to him.

"Very well. Shall we take this outside?" he offered, hands outspread. Hela nodded once, and they vanished.

Jane turned to Darcy, shaking like a leaf.

"What the hell was that?" Darcy glanced around the room, and then back to her friend.

"Just one more reason to think twice before dating a Norse deity. Family reunions are a bitch…"

* * *

An hour later, Loki reappeared in the living room, looking tired. The dark circles under his eyes hadn't been there when he'd left.

"What happened?" Darcy asked. Loki shook his head, collapsing onto the couch. Jane offered him a cup of tea, which he accepted gratefully. After a couple sips, he seemed to be revived enough to talk.

"Thank you." he said, staring out the window. "I'm sorry for any alarm my daughter may have caused. Rest assured, she will not do so again." Jane nodded.

"I'm sorry for doubting you, Loki."

"No, I deserved your mistrust. I can't exactly say that all my dealings with your kind have been honest."

"Okay. But seriously, tell me what you want me to do to help, and I'll do it." Loki shook his head.

"Just don't tell SHIELD. That's all I can ask." Another shadowy figure stepped out of the doorway. Agent Phil Coulson.

"It's a little late for that." he said.


	11. Freedom

**A/N: Hi everybody! I'm not sure what exactly has happened to me, but I think my plot bunnies are starting to come back home, now...To celebrate, here's another chapter! The reviews I've been getting have been really encouraging. Thank you so much! **

* * *

_jaquelinelittle: I guess I spell it as Jormagundar because that's the way I first read it. (also, I don't know how to put the umlaut over the "o") It has since become a habit for me. I hope it doesn't take away from the story-line for you. I know how misspellings (intentional or otherwise) can distract from a story. __As for how many times Loki's met Hela, it's been three times, two within the story so far, and once before the story takes place (I'll cover that in a flashback in an upcoming chapter.) As for Loki's reaction to her presence, he's not adverse to her, just the fact that she wants to harm his brother. He may be a horrible father, but at least he'll admit it, whereas Odin wants everyone to think he's perfect, and that all is well._

* * *

Loki sat back against the cell wall, his mind completely blank. Sure, he was normally the one who had a plan for everything, but this was beyond anything he could've foreseen. All he could think of at the moment was Thor's safety. Was he okay? He stood up, unsure of where he was going. It was useless, he knew, there was nowhere to go, but he had to move around, or else he felt he might go completely insane. A movement outside the glass box caught his attention. Tall, dark skin, eyepatch…

"Ah, Director Fury. A pleasure to see you again." He said with a sarcastically cordial smile. Fury was not amused.

"I wish I could say the same. What's your game this time, Loki?"

"There is no game, Director. I no longer have my sights set on world domination. I'm quite harmless at the moment."

"You disappeared with Thor a week ago, and now I discover that you turned him into a kid?"

"Believe me. It was purely accidental."

"Oh, so you intended to kill him?"

"No…well, at the time yes, but something happened, and I really need to see him."

"I don't think so." Loki balled his hand up into a fist, and slammed it into the glass.

"Let me see him! I need to know he's safe. Please." He pleaded. Fury watched him, his face a stony mask. With a twitch of his hand, he gestured for the guards to bring in Thor. Loki nearly melted in relief when Thor was carried in. The little boy wriggled his way free of the agent's arms.

"Loki!" he ran over to the cell, pressing his hands flat against the glass.

"Are you all right, Thor?" Loki asked. Thor nodded, his confusion evident. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Thor, what is your brother doing here with you?" Fury asked. Loki glanced up at the director.

"Don't do this." He whispered. Fury clenched his jaw.

"Well, Thor?" the director insisted.

"He's keeping me safe." was the simple reply.

"Safe from who?"

"Hela." Fury looked back up at Loki.

"Tell me, who is Hela?" Loki gritted his teeth.

"My daughter." the trickster replied. "She's even more serious about her attempts upon my brother's life, which is why I need you to let me go. Thor's safety depends upon my freedom." Fury appeared to consider this for a while.

"Like I said, not a chance." He turned to the guards. "Stay here with Thor." He turned and left, melting into the shadows of the hall. Seconds after he left, Jane and Darcy came in.

"Loki, I swear I didn't tell anyone…" Jane said as she sat down. Loki shrugged.

"They must have caught onto the residual energy signature from the Bifrost."

"But they never…" Jane felt her heart sink. Her research into energy and the Einstein-RosenBridge had probably led them straight to it. "Oh my god…" She felt so betrayed. Thor sensed her hurt, and climbed onto her lap, putting his arms around her neck. Darcy merely sat with her back against the glass of the cell.

"Loki, what do we do now? Darcy and I can't keep Thor safe."

"You think I don't realize that?"

"You have to turn him back. They'll actually listen to him if he's an adult."

"I can't. Not now. Before I can change him back, I need to defeat Hela, so that nothing like this happens again." Not the real reason, but close enough. "If anyone questions you about harboring me, tell them I forced you to. You shouldn't take the blame for my actions."

"There's no need." Agent Coulson remarked as he appeared in the doorway. He silently typed in his passcode, and the cell opened. Loki watched him warily. Phil looked up at him.

"What are you waiting for? I'm trying to help you. I'm supposed to be taking Miss Foster into custody, but I know why she helped you." _"You're helping your brother."_ was the unspoken ending to his sentence.

"Thank you." Loki said, trying to believe what he saw to be his good fortune. Norns only knew how quickly that could change.

Phil turned on his heel and left.

"By the way," he said over his shoulder as he walked away. "You've got fifteen minutes to get out of here before I report your escape." He stopped for a moment, actually turning around to face him. "And don't think I've forgotten about the incident on the Helicarrier. I'll have words with you later." Loki nodded mutely.

"Yes, of course." He gathered Thor into his arms, and teleported the four of them away from the base. Coulson watched them disappear, wondering if he'd done the right thing in letting Loki get away.

Time would tell.

* * *

The foursome reappeared just outside of town. Loki watched as both women dealt with the after-effects of teleportation. Darcy looked half-ways used to such means of transportation. Perhaps a little dizzy, but even Loki felt that way. Jane however was shaking and pale. She turned to Loki.

"Don't. Ever. Do. That. AGAIN!" She raised her hand, and looked like she was about to slap him, but she wavered and started to tip. Loki caught her with one arm.

"Well, I wish I could promise you that, but I'm afraid I can't." He started to walk off into the darkness.

"Where are you going?" Darcy asked. "Jane's apartment is that way." Loki shook his head.

"We're not going back to the apartment. SHIELD will undoubtedly still be there, and I can't risk getting caught by them again." Jane nodded, looking sad.

"I can't believe they lied to me like that. After they gave me the lab and stuff, I was starting to trust them a little." Loki let out a harsh laugh.

"They may be the 'good guys', but even good guys can't be trusted." He said.

"Why is it, then, that you're pretty much a supervillain, and I trust you more?"

"I have no idea." He replied, completely taken aback by her confession. Jane trusted him? Why? He had killed her boyfriend (albeit, temporarily) and attacked her realm with the intent to enslave or slay all who stood in his way. Darcy tapped Loki's elbow.

"Uh, are we expecting company?" she asked. Loki shook his head, taking a quick glance around at the surrounding desert.

"No, wh…oh. Wonderful. Four more people I did not want to see." They were too far away for mortal eyes to see, but Loki recognized Sif and the Warriors Three.


	12. Before the Day Is Done

**Warning: Angst ahead. Read at your own risk. I will not be held responsible for any damage done by keyboard smashing.**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

The last aurora-like remnants of the Bifrost were just disappearing into the twilit clouds, and the dust was clearing from the landing site. As the figures drew closer, Jane recognized them for who they were, and relaxed somewhat.

"Greetings, Lady Jane, and Lady Darcy." Fandral said, smiling charmingly at the women. Jane laughed.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sif shrugged.

"Odin sent us to help keep you safe. Heimdall told us that Loki had been captured…" she started to explain.

"Oh, and I suppose you were _so_ eager to come to my aid." Loki cut her off with a sneer. Sif regarded him coldly.

"You're welcome." She replied sharply. He gave her a mocking bow.

"So, you're here just in case I end up getting taken again, I suppose?"

"In the ever more likely event that you do get captured, we are to take Thor back to Asgard." She snapped.

"You think I enjoy being put in a cage?" Sif put her hands on her hips.

"It seems to happen quite a lot." she sniffed.

"Happens to the best of us." He said, tilting his head haughtily.

"Are you going to accept our aid, or no? Because I could care less whether or not you make it out of this situation alive." She finally spat. Loki looked like he was about to say something particularly nasty, but Thor covered his mouth before the words left his tongue.

"Loki, stop it." he whispered, looking like he was on the verge of tears. Loki nodded, and Thor took his hand away.

"I'm sorry, Thor." He turned back to Sif. "I don't care what happens to myself, only that Thor is safe." Shock was plainly written on the faces of the four newcomers. Darcy tugged on Loki's sleeve again.

"Loki…" He turned to face her.

"What now, Darcy?" The girl merely pointed in the opposite direction that Sif and the others had come from.

"I didn't think they had invited anyone else to the party…" she said, gesturing to the Asgardians. Sif shook her head.

"No, we were the only ones sent. Odin would have told us…" Loki saw clearly. Those were Hela's men, if he were to make a bet. Wraiths of Niflheim.

"Thor, go to Jane. Sif, Hogun, I need the two of you to keep them safe. Volstagg, Fandral, You're coming with me." Fandral glanced over at Sif, almost as if asking permission, but caught himself halfway.

"Of course. You do have a plan, right?" Loki gave him a half-smile.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, you're going to keep Thor safe by fighting beside me." Volstagg nodded.

"Indeed we are." He affirmed. "For Thor." He placed his fist over his heart, and Fandral followed suit. Loki's smile widened.

"Good. Follow me." He grabbed a hold of their arms, and the three of them vanished. Sif and Hogun led Jane and Darcy in the opposite direction, where they had seen a place to stay, an abandoned gas station.

* * *

"What manner of creatures are we going against, Loki?" Volstagg asked. The trickster grimaced.

"Wraiths. Spirits of the dead, armed with magic, and weapons beyond most warriors." He paused a moment. "We are going to fight them, and then, I will send you back to Thor and the girls. I will face Hela alone."

"But you need someone there with you." Fandral said. Loki stopped and turned to face him.

"I'm not going to get you killed because of something I did, or neglected to do. Hela's grievance is a mirror image of my own. If I had been paying attention, I might have sensed sooner that at least she, out of the three children, had survived. And that she craved my attention and affection, as any daughter would. In that, I have failed utterly. But as I have seen with Thor, sometimes tough love is the only way to teach a lesson." Loki wondered why he was explaining all this to Fandral and Volstagg, but out of all Thor's friends, they were the two he trusted most. Fandral cleared his throat, hoping to disguise his sudden sympathy for Loki's situation.

"Let's go then." Volstagg said.

* * *

Thor sat on Darcy's lap, while Jane paced worriedly across the tile floor.

"Why is he doing this? What could he possibly hope to get out of it?" she asked, for what seemed like the thousandth time. A gust of wind suddenly rocked the small building, startling them all, even Hogun. A flare of green light in the distance caught their attention, and the unearthly howl that followed made them all cringe.

"Oh god, I hope they're okay…" Jane whispered. With another startling flash, Fandral and Volstagg appeared in the room with them. Sif went immediately to Fandral, who appeared to have a pretty nasty gash on his arm. Volstagg's beard was singed, and his armor cracked in a few places. Both were otherwise unhurt.

"Where's Loki?" Thor asked. Fandral glanced over at the boy.

"He's fighting Hela. He sent us here." Darcy stood up.

"What? And you let him just leave?" She went over to the window, handing Thor off to Jane. Fandral watched her.

"He sent us back. It wasn't a matter of us letting him. Loki does what he wants. We couldn't stop him." Volstagg appeared to be thinking it all over.

"He knows we can't do anything. We'll just have to trust that he can take care of this on his own."

* * *

Loki glanced around the golden room wildly. He was back in Asgard, in the observatory dome. Heimdall was nowhere to be found. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Thor was on Midgard with Darcy and Jane, and Hela was here with him. Really, this was the best outcome he could've hoped for. He could sense that she was there, waiting for him. There was a possibility of talking her down, but there would always be time for that later. For now, he was focused on getting Thor turned back.

The tricky part was finding a way of doing so that wouldn't drive Hela away completely. But it was probably too late for that, if she was anything like him.

"If it's vengeance you seek, Hela, I'm the one you should be going after."

"And why is that?" she replied, materializing beside him, her hands behind her back. She watched him, her face devoid of any emotion.

"Too many reasons to count. Please. Striking back isn't going to gain you anything. I've learned that. Consider it the first piece of good advice I've given you." he said, hoping to perhaps charm her into obeying.

"The first, yes." She circled him once, and then looked him in the eye. "And the last." She summoned her power, and threw him across the observatory. He hit the opposite wall with a sickening thud.

"Hela, all I ask is that you spare Thor." he managed to say, struggling to pull himself onto his knees. Hela shook her head, raising her hand again. She clenched her fist, and Loki felt as though someone were making a fist around his heart. Moaning in pain, he collapsed. How fitting, that he should be killed by his own daughter. Hadn't he done the same thing to Laufey?

_Maybe patricide does run in the family. _

Part of him hoped that his daughter could still be reasoned with, but that hope was dashed when Hela pulled him up by the throat.

"If I cannot have him while he's under your protection, he will be mine once you are dead." Out of some secret pocket in her voluminous robes, she grabbed an obsidian dagger, and stabbed him in the chest. Loki's eyes widened, first in shock, but then the pain took over.

"Like father, like daughter…" she hissed, deftly twisting the blade. Loki cried out hoarsely.

"Hela, please..." She eyed him disinterestedly.

"I hope you realize now that your efforts on that thundering oaf's behalf are utterly wasted." She turned around, her robes trailing out behind her. Loki took a gasping breath, summoning what power he could muster, and opened a portal.

"Hela, I command you to leave this realm! Go back to Niflheim." He held up his hand, palm out, a green glow weaving around his fingers.

"No…" the girl whispered in horror as she realized what was happening. Drawn in by the portal, she realized she couldn't escape. "I'll be waiting for you, _Father._" She spat as she flew backwards and vanished. Loki watched with regret as his daughter disappeared. Using the last reserves of his magic, he opened yet another portal, summoning Jane, Darcy, and Thor into the observatory dome.

"LOKI!" Thor shrieked, seeing the crimson soaking through Loki's tunic, turning the vivid green cloth a strange shade of black. He pulled himself free of Jane's arms. She made no move to stop the little boy from running off, and Darcy was as a statue. Loki had seemed impervious to any physical attack. Hell, even her taser hadn't worked on him. Seeing him lying here wounded was more than a bit of a shock.

Loki opened his eyes to see Thor sitting next to him, holding his hand in both of his. Thor was holding onto his hand with both of his own.

"Thor?" he whispered. The boy nodded.

"I'm here, Loki." The trickster's eyes fell shut again, but he was smiling.

"Of course you are." A couple ragged breaths passed before he spoke again. "Promise you'll remember me…brother?" Thor nodded solemnly, fresh tears gathering in his eyes.

"I promise." Thor whispered.

"Good."

Frigga came into the observatory, followed closely by four guards. She stopped short when she saw them.

"Oh no…" she whispered, quietly making her way over to them. She knelt opposite of Thor. The boy looked up at her.

"Mother, can't you help him?" Frigga glanced down at the pale form beside her.

"It's too late, Thor." Loki managed to say. Thor shook his head.

"No! It can't be too late. Mother always makes everything better!" he protested. Loki laughed quietly, because there was a grain of truth to that. Frigga's presence here did give him some comfort, because there would now be another witness to the fact that he had saved Thor's life.

"Here is one ill she cannot cure." He whispered, so only Frigga and Thor could hear him. "And it's the only way to turn you back. I've known for a while." Frigga bit her lip, smoothing his hair back, a gesture that she had used to convey her affection after her sons had grown 'too old' for hugs and kisses. Loki felt a tear slip down his cheek. Now that he had finally made his peace with Thor and Frigga, he had to give it all up. So much for the joy that his mother had spoken of.

Darcy watched as Loki went limp. The tears that had threatened to come were nowhere to be found now. She just felt empty. A space she hadn't even known existed was now hollow.

She didn't have time to dwell on it, however, because almost as soon as Loki breathed his last, Thor began to transform. A green and golden glow surrounded both princes, and before Jane could even blink twice, Thor was back in his adult form. He glanced around, confused. Confusion became horror when he beheld his brother's blank eyes and bloodied tunic.

"No…" He turned away, grief-stricken. Jane knelt next to him, allowing him to lean on her.

"He did it for you, Thor." She whispered, carefully rubbing his shoulder.

"I remember all of it. He saved my life." He drew a deep breath. "Perhaps the Valkyrie will claim his soul for Valhalla." He murmured. Jane stared at the body, nodding mutely. Valkyrie? Valhalla? Both were new terms to her, but they seemed to bring comfort to Thor. Darcy stepped closer to Loki's body, and gently closed his eyes, her lower lip quivering slightly. She felt it was the appropriate thing to do. Now, if it weren't for the lack of breathing, and all the blood on his shirt, he looked as though he was sleeping. She remembered their conversation about what would break the spell.

_ "It's not what I think will end the spell, it's what I know will end the spell." _

_ "You know how to break it?" _

_ "Indeed I do. After much thought, I have stumbled upon it." _

_ "Then why haven't you done anything about it?" _

He had smiled when she asked him that, but his eyes had been sad.

"Oh god…" she whimpered. He had been trying to tell her that turning Thor back would be the death of him. He had known all along…the bastard. And to think that he had known he was going to die, and he still allowed her to befriend him. She broke down completely.

"Please come back?"


	13. The End is Where We Begin

**A/N: I...uh...yeah. **

**Here's the next chapter!**

Odin found the group in the observatory. He watched Thor, unsure of what to make of this development. He had seen the fight, had seen what Loki had done. He had not expected his adopted son to make such a sacrifice, though. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it yet. But Thor was restored. That was what mattered at the moment. He joined the group, noting the general air of sadness. His son looked up at him.

"Can't you do anything?" he asked, a last desperate hope coming through the tears. Odin shook his head.

"I cannot bring back the dead." Darcy glanced up at the one-eyed king.

"Can't, or won't?" she challenged.

"I cannot. I will not go against fate."

"But he redeemed himself!" Thor argued.

"Thor, one good deed is not enough to win the favor of the Norns."

"But why? You could have stopped this from happening."

"It was for the best." He said simply. Thor glanced up at his father, his emotions practically boiling.

"How is this best? My brother is dead…" Odin gave him a sharp look.

"He was dead a long time ago. A man who feels no love for anyone or anything is not a living soul at all." Thor shook his head.

"No father, he wasn't. There is no greater love in all the realms than the willingness to die for someone else."

"Perhaps there is truth to your words, but Loki is also a master liar." Thor glared at his father.

"As are you. You hid your actions concerning Angrboda from everyone." Frigga said quietly. Darcy looked confused.

"Angr-who?"

"Angrboda. Loki's wife. She died." Thor said. Slowly, realization came over him. "You killed her." Odin didn't deny it. The thunderer regarded him as he would a stranger. Lighting flashed around the observatory, and thunder split the tense silence. Then he gestured towards the door. "Leave us. Now." The king paused before silently walking away. Frigga's guards came back in, carrying a bier. Carefully, they moved Loki's body onto it, and took him away. Frigga turned to the women.

"If you wish to stay in Asgard for a while, you may, as our guests." Jane nodded, stepping away from Thor for a second, and holding Darcy.

"Do you want to talk?" she whispered. Darcy shrugged.

"What is there to talk about?" she said, wiping her cheek on her sleeve.

"Believe me, we'll think of something." She put an arm around her shoulders and they followed the group back to the palace.

* * *

Sif couldn't believe what she was hearing. Loki was dead? It seemed an impossibility. When she had seen the look on Thor's face, she had immediately regretted what she said to Loki before the fight.

_"I could care less whether or not you make it out of this situation alive." _What had she been thinking? She knew how much Loki had meant to Thor. And now in retrospect, she saw how much he had helped them. All the times he had come in at the last minute with some spell that would save them all. That didn't mean she had to like him, but it was nice to have someone skilled in magic when it came to a fight.

"You miss him?" a voice said, coming up behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Fandral. Sif closed her eyes, trying to hide her few tears.

"I don't miss him." Fandral crossed his arms over his chest.

"You don't sound so sure." He stated quietly.

"Just leave. Please."

"It's not wrong to grieve for him. He wasn't completely evil. There was something more to him, and it showed through in the end." Without another word, he left her to her musings.

He walked into the chamber where Loki's body lay covered in a shroud. Thor and Frigga sat beside the bed, talking quietly. Fandral cleared his throat before he could overhear anything. Thor looked up.

"Fandral, what brings you here?" he asked. Fandral shrugged.

"I want to bring Loki back. He shouldn't have had to die."

"Odin will not allow it." Thor intoned.

"When has approval or disapproval stopped us from doing something?" Fandral said. He glanced over at Frigga, who was nodding.

"I will handle Odin. If you can find a way to bring my son back to me, I would be most grateful." Fandral looked back to the prince.

"What say you, Thor?" A slow smile spread across Thor's face.

"Let's see what can be done."

* * *

Darcy flopped across the bed, worn out. She wasn't sure why seeing Loki die had affected her so much. She wasn't exactly sure what her exact feelings for him were, much less whether or not they were returned. Her brooding was interrupted when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Darcy, it's Jane. Can I come in?" Jane sounded worried. With a sigh, she sat up, and opened the door.

"Yeah, come in." She held it open wide enough for her friend to enter.

"I had to check on you." Jane looked unsure of what to say next. Darcy shrugged and went back over to her bed.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Normally you'd try and stay as far away from a dead body as possible, but you closed his eyes. There's something different about you now." Darcy refused to make eye contact. She knew that the moment she did, she'd start crying.

"If I knew, I'd tell you, so I could get it off my chest."

"You loved him, didn't you?"

"Maybe. I dunno. It seems wrong to say that about the guy who killed my best friend's boyfriend, but maybe...And I only knew him for a little over two days." Jane shrugged.

"So? How long did I know Thor before I figured out that I loved him?"

"Just a couple days...I see what you did there." Tear threatened to come again. "Just go be with Thor. At least you've got him here." Jane nodded.

"You sure you'll be okay?"

"I guess."

* * *

Loki opened his eyes. Darkness surrounded him. He was standing upon the Gjallarbru, and though he had been there once before, he now felt as though he actually belonged.

_Does Odin realize what I did for his son?_

Another thought struck him as he stood there, upon the Bridge.

_I finally did something right. _

Loki smiled a little at the thought as he stepped up to the gate. The enormous doors swung inwards, and he walked through. The hall was empty, lit only by torches. It was a far cry from the crystal chandeliers, dwarven lamps, and were-lights that illuminated the palace in Asgard. She was here, but she was hiding again. Loki glanced around, trying to peer through the murky shadows to see her.

"Hela, please don't hide. You're my daughter, you shouldn't have to hide from me." No response. Expected, perhaps, but still disappointing. "I'm aware of my many mistakes that I made when it came to you and your brothers. I will openly admit that I could've handled our first meeting a little better…"

"Yes, you could have. You told me that I should return to my place in Niflheim. You were ashamed of what I was…" Hela's voice echoed around the chamber, making it impossible to tell where she was.

"I was never ashamed of you. Imagine thinking someone to be dead, and suddenly learning that they were not. Hela, you must understand." His daughter appeared before him, her hands clasped before her.

"But you didn't do anything about it! I remained here, and my brothers and I have suffered."

"There was not a day that went by that I didn't think of your mother, or you and your siblings. When you came to Asgard, I wasn't sure what to do. I was afraid of what Odin would do if I tried to liberate the three of you." He paused. "I'm not afraid of him any more." Hela raised her eyebrow.

"You think that you suddenly losing your fear will make this all go away?"

"No. But I do hope you can forgive me, or at least put aside your hatred of me long enough for me to find a way of freeing you and your brothers." Hela was silent.

"If you could do that, I might see fit to release you. I make no promises." She watched him, studying him. "Why are you trying to reconcile with me? I killed you." she asked finally. Loki shook his head.

"I deserved what you did to me. It was no worse than what I did to you by not searching for any sign that Odin was lying to me." He looked up at her, his expression earnest. "I truly am sorry for what I allowed to happen to you." Hela smiled a little.

"In that regard, you are forgiven. But we still have the matter of Odin's crimes." Loki grinned.

"I have a few ideas. Care to help?" Hela looked intrigued.

"I'm listening."


	14. Breath of Life

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, but it's been a long week. Enjoy! **

* * *

Phil watched the energy signature bloom across the screen. It replayed over and over, and he enjoyed watching the Fitz and Simmons try to figure it out. But, he'd been watching them for the past two hours. He needed coffee. Fast. Only one way to fix that. He quietly left the two scientists to their devices, and went to the break room, where he had seen one of the go-fers prepping a kerafe. He poured himself a cup, and leaned back against the edge of the counter.

"Coulson?" Director Fury's voice cut through the silence of the break room. He snapped to attention.

"Yes sir?"

"Where are Loki and Miss Foster?" Coulson took a long sip of his coffee, feeling the burn go straight to his gut.

"Last I saw, Loki was in his cell, and Miss Foster was on her way to her own. Why do you ask?"

"Loki's on the loose again, and Miss Foster is nowhere to be found. I was wondering if you knew anything about it." Coulson's face was completely blank as he took another sip. He shrugged noncommittally.

"Is he causing trouble again?" Fury shook his head.

"No, just the opposite, actually. It's got me worried."

"I'll look into it, sir."

"Good. I wanna know what happened. If we've got a mole, I wanna find out who it was." Coulson drained his coffee, and threw the cup away.

"Of course, Director." Fury gave him a peculiar look, before leaving the break room in a flourish of coattails.

"Don't make me regret letting you go, Loki." Coulson muttered to himself, straightening his tie. He went back to the lab.

* * *

Thor found Jane in one of the common rooms, sitting before the fire. It had been two days since he'd been restored.

"How have you been holding up?" she asked. Thor gave her a small smile.

"I was just about to ask you the same question. But, since you asked first…" He took a deep breath, and glanced out into the garden. "After much discussion with my father, I have decided to go after Loki." Jane looked puzzled.

"But he's dead, Thor. You can't bring a dead person back to life…"

"The bridge between the realms of the dead and the living are real, and they can be crossed. It's just a matter of finding a way to convince Hela to release his soul."

"Do you really think that she'll allow that to happen?" Thor looked grim.

"Her argument is with Odin, not with me. And now that I am no longer a child, I am not so easily overcome."

"You're not going to do anything too horrible, I hope…" she said, beginning to worry.

"No, the only people who will suffer are those who deserve it."

"What will she do to your dad, then?" Thor scowled.

"I am ready to let Hela deal with Odin as she sees fit. I cannot stand behind his actions towards Loki or his children."

"What's this about Loki's kids?" a new voice entered the conversation. Darcy stood in the doorway, watching them. Thor motioned for her to come join him and Jane.

"Come in and sit, then. I'm only telling the tale once."

"May I listen in too?" Fandral asked from his spot before the fire. Thor and Jane both glanced at each other, surprised. Neither of them had noticed him sitting there.

"Uh, how long have you been there?" Jane asked. Fandral shrugged.

"Long enough. I wasn't going to interrupt, but if Thor was going to tell something no one else was supposed to know, I was ready to take my leave…" he replied, bowing slightly.

"You may stay, if you wish, my friend." Thor glanced across the room, and then back to his listeners.

"Fandral remembers that Loki was married to a Jotun woman, named Angrboda. She had run away from her home, and lived among the Aesir, using a spell to conceal her heritage. They had been married for quite some time, when it was discovered that she was pregnant. Odin heard, from a particularly unreliable source, that the children would be a danger to himself, me, and all the realms. So he acted without thought, killing Angrboda, and somehow bribed the healers into letting him take the children. Loki was told that the children were stillborn." Jane was shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's horrible…" she whispered. Thor smiled sadly.

"Yes, it is. But the day the real trouble began, Loki and I were out on the practice field with Sif and the Warriors Three. Our sparring was interrupted when a little girl, no more than 13 mortal years of age, came out to us. She was dressed all in black, and had covered her face in a hood. She said that her name was Hela Lokidottir, and that she had come searching for her father. She sought his aid in freeing her brothers. Loki, of course, was surprised at this turn of events, and told her to leave, and that he had no daughter. But she drew back her hood, and the other five of us saw clearly that she could be nothing less than a child of Loki. Her face was the mirror image of his, in female form. Loki saw this and disappeared from the field. Hela was heartbroken, and vanished as well."

"What kind of dad denies his own daughter?" Darcy asked, her opinion of Loki taking a dive.

"One who believed that his children were dead. Loki went directly to Odin and confronted him. The All-father had no choice but to confess all that he had done. He had changed one of the sons, Fenrir, into a wolf and bound him on an island where none would find him. The second son, he had transformed into a serpent and sent him to Midgard, where he thrived, and grew so that he now encircles your realm."

"Midgard, that's Earth, right?" Darcy asked. Thor nodded.

"Indeed, Lady Darcy."

"Why haven't we ever seen him, then? If he's so huge…" She glanced around, feeling somewhat foolish for asking. "I don't get it." she folded her hands and put them on her lap. Thor nodded.

"You raise an excellent point. But Darcy, you live now in an age of skeptics and nay-sayers, who look upon us as mere myth. Many may have seen Jormagundar, and mistook him for something more acceptable in their eyes. One of the coils of his body could be mistaken for whale coming up for air, or the waves caused by his writhing were merely caused by storms at sea."

"Seems reasonable, I guess." She said. "So, what will Odin do if we try to free them?"

"Odin won't know. But once he finds out, he certainly won't approve."

"Sounds like something Loki would say." Fandral commented. Thor smiled.

"We have a plan, then."

* * *

Loki watched Hela for a few moments.

"You know, if you want to free your brothers, you're going to have to bring me back."

"And why is that?"

"As of now, I have none of my powers. You need my help for this. You've been trying on your own for years, but have only been met with failure. I will help you, if I have my powers." Hela nodded.

"Very well, but if you're trying to betray me, I will make sure that the next time you die, you stay here." Loki nodded.

"I accept that." Hela smiled and took a hold of his hand.

When Loki opened his eyes again, he was standing in the room where his body lay. Hela carefully removed the shroud, and looked over at Loki expectantly. Loki nodded, and took his own hand. Hela whispered a quiet spell, and slowly, his spectral image melded with the cold flesh and bone. A soundless scream filled his mind, and he knew no more.

It was only a few minutes later that he opened his eyes, as himself. He smiled when he sensed the familiar feel of the magic dancing at his fingertips, his heart beating, and fresh air filling his lungs. He sat up, and put his feet on the floor.

"It's good to be back." He said quietly. Hela nodded.

"Let's find you some more suitable clothes." Loki nodded, and took off the black tunic that they had dressed him in for his funeral. He caught sight of the stab wound on his chest, and felt a little dizzy. Despite all this, he lurched across the room, leaving a trail of blood. He tripped and fell. Hela was at his side in a matter of seconds. Loki stared up at her, helpless. Hela placed her hand over the gash, and closed her eyes. A few moments later, his side was whole again.

"I'm sorry for what I did, Father. I acted without thought. The person I should have gone after was Odin." Loki sat up and pulled her into his arms, holding his daughter as though she was a small child.

"All is forgiven, my dear girl." He kissed the top of her head, and glanced around. "Now, about those clothes you mentioned?"

* * *

Odin watched as Thor, Fandral, Darcy, and Jane rode off. He had an idea of where they were going, but he knew that there would be no stopping Thor. The public's favor was leaning towards Thor at the moment, despite his seeming love for the traitor prince. Word of Odin's crimes had already begun to spread among the people. Odin heard two sets of footsteps approaching. A pair of guards came before him and bowed. The king turned to look upon them, his face expressionless.

"What brings you here?" The guards looked at each other nervously. The first one spoke up.

"My lord, the body of the trickster is missing."

Well then.

"What do you mean, it's missing?"

"It's gone, no sign of it anywhere."

"Take me to the room where he was. Now." The guards bowed once and led the way.

Upon entering the room, Odin noticed blood on the floor, and the discarded death-clothes. The trail of blood stopped about half-way across the room, and from there the only traces of blood were from the footprints that led to Loki's old bed chamber. The king opened the door cautiously, not sure what he would find. Clothes and chests of drawers were strewn everywhere, and the trail of bloody footprints led straight to the window. Odin turned to the guards.

"Find him."


	15. The Wolf

**A/N: ** **Hi! I'm sorry it's taking so long between updates, but I had written chapters 10-13 all in one block, because after chapter 12, I couldn't just leave that hanging. But I will be updating at least once a week now. I won't say that's a promise, but I'll do my best.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"How do you know your brother was sent to Helheim?" Jane asked. "I mean, he did basically sacrifice himself for you." she pointed out. Thor shook his head.

"The Norns have ever treated my brother poorly, and the Valkyrie haven't quite forgiven him for that one incident, when he looked upon the youngest of their sisters, and she was denied her return to Valhalla. It was purely accidental, but knowing his mischievous nature…"

"He saved you, though! That's got to count for something."

"One good deed, even one of ultimate sacrifice, is not enough to erase a lifetime of wrongs." Thor said. "Loki knew what he was doing."

"Okay, so where are we going, again?" Jane asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Niflheim. More specifically, Amsvartnir. We are almost there." Thor said. "Then, we shall search for Fenrir, and free him from his bonds." Jane glanced over at him.

"Why did you bring me and Darcy along again?" She was tired of traveling by now, and Darcy was much the same. They weren't used to riding, and here they'd spent almost two days on horseback.

"I don't trust my father to not harm anyone sympathetic to Loki. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me." Thor replied, looking sad. He rode alongside her, ready to offer aid if she needed it. Jane reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, we're going to get your brother back. I know it." she said quietly. Thor took her hand in his, smiling a little.

"Thank you for standing by me. It gives me more comfort than I can say." He kissed her hand, but didn't let go as they rode. Darcy watched the two of them, a tad jealous. Why was it that Jane always seemed to attract more guys, and she wasn't even interested, while Darcy was left to herself? It just wasn't fair.

A blast of cold wind hit her and she shivered violently, all envious thoughts gone. A sudden warmth draped across her back. She looked up to see Fandral riding alongside her, his fur-lined coat now resting heavy on her shoulders.

"Th-th-thanks…" she said, her teeth chattering together.

"All you had to do was ask." He said. Darcy gave him a brief smile before turning her attention back to guiding her horse along the rocky path. After another hour of silent riding, the hills evened out, and turned from barren rocky ground to a level plain, covered in dead brown grass. Darcy covered her mouth and nose with her scarf, hoping to block out the stench of death that seemed to creep across the narrow channel that separated Niflheim from the realm of the living. It didn't work.

A grey pall of mist lay over the island, making it hard to see what was land and what wasn't. But even worse than the sight or smell of it, were the mournful cries that echoed across the water. Every now and then, a forlorn howl of a wolf broke through. Thor winced when he realized that it was Fenrir. He led the group to the bridge and they slowly picked their way across. Darcy peered over the edge. After a moment, she had to look back up.

"Are you okay, Darcy?" Jane called.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm, uh, yeah." As the stepped onto the grey rocky shore, shadows ducked in and out of the mist. Some were apparently armed, and others backing away in fear at the approach of the living. Thor ignored them.

"They cannot harm us, do not fear them." He said. "But neither will you make any move to harm them." The last sentence was aimed at Fandral, who looked more than a little unnerved by the ghouls. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at the least provocation. Thor stared into the mist, looking confused. Jane followed his stare.

"What is it?" A familiar figure stood in the pathway, grinning up at them. Thor jumped down from the saddle and ran to the figure, and threw his arms around him.

"Loki!" He held him tight, not wanting to let him go, for fear of him disappearing again. After an indecisive moment, Loki returned them embrace, burying his face in Thor's shoulder.

"Hello, brother." Loki whispered, choking up a little, and most certainly not wanting to show it. Thor held him out at arms length, completely at a loss.

"How are you not a ghoul as well? I-I saw you die…" he stammered. Loki grinned.

"I have my ways, but you have my daughter to thank for that." He turned to the side in time to see Hela step out of the fog. Thor took an instinctive step back. Hela smiled a little.

"I no longer pose a threat to you, Son of Odin." Thor smiled a little.

"I'm afraid we were never properly introduced, milady." He gave a slight bow. Hela grinned then, a somewhat terrifying expression, given her half-rotted state.

"But we each already know who the other is, there is no need for introductions." She pointed out. "But I am honored to finally meet you, Uncle." She held out her good hand, and Thor took it, gently gracing it with a kiss.

"Shall we free your brother?" he said quietly, making himself look her in the eye. The girl nodded.

"I'd like that."

They silently made their way toward the low fortress where the wolf was housed, with Loki in the lead. He saw the guards, and before they could blink, a flash of light had blinded them and they fell to the ground senseless. They were through the doors before anyone else could see them.

"How are we going to free him? The leash binding him is unbreakable. Nothing is a match for it." Fandral said. Loki turned to glare at the warrior.

"And what would you know of this?" he hissed. Fandral stopped, blushing in shame.

"I was one of the ones who oversaw the dwarves during the crafting of Gleipnir. I'm sorry for my part in it, I truly am. I didn't realize at the time who or what Fenrir was." Loki's expression became less severe.

"Apology accepted."

They rounded the corner, Loki turned around.

"Thor, you didn't happen to bring my sword, did you?" he asked. Thor nodded, and handed the weapon over to Loki.

"Take back what is yours." He said.

"Oh, I plan to." Loki said devilishly, pulling the blade free of the leather sheath. Darcy held up a hand.

"Umm, didn't Fandral say that this leash thing is unbreakable?" she asked. Loki took a deep breath, trying to be patient.

"Laevateinn is no ordinary sword." He said finally. "It can shear through any number of spells and wards." He turned quickly and went into the chamber where the wolf lay bound.

He stared at the form of his son for a moment, wondering what would happen once the chain was gone. Would he remain in this form, or, if he didn't, what would he become? What manner of spell had been placed over him?

Only one way to find out.

The others watched as Loki raised the sword and brought it down on the chain. It was shorn cleanly in two. Instantly, the fur-covered body shrank down to reveal a blue-skinned child cowering on the stone floor. Loki knelt next to him, unsure of what to do next.

"Fenrir?" he whispered, gently touching the boy's shoulder. "Son, look at me." Fenrir wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and threw his arms around Loki's neck.

* * *

Leagues away, on Asgard, Odin felt the spell break. He had spent so much time fueling the spell, that it's absence was noticeable. It had become almost an old friend.

Of course, it had to be Fenrir that they had freed first.

Their next stop would most definitely be Midgard. He stood up from his throne, and went down to the weapons vault. If Thor was going to unwittingly help Loki bring about the twilight of the gods, then he would face the same consequences.

The king stopped before the barred door at the end of the hall, a steely look in his eye. He brought Gungnir down on the tiled floor. The Destroyer stepped forward, ready for orders.

"Ensure that they do not free the Serpent. Do not slay them, unless there is no other option."


	16. Camping

**A/N: Here's a fluff chapter. I should get into the actual freeing of Jormagundar in the next chapter. I can't say for certain when exactly that will be posted, but I'll do my best to write it, and get it typed out.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

The group made camp for the night, seeing that Fenrir was in no mindset to travel. After his initial reaction of hugging Loki, he had clung to Hela, watching everyone else, wary of contact with any but her. From what Darcy could see, he only looked to be about eight, but she knew he was probably far older. Hela whispered quietly to him, and he slept now in her arms, his captivity nothing but a memory.

Darcy sat next to Loki, still a little surprised to see him alive again. She hadn't had time to process his return, and now, it was all starting to catch up with her. She pulled Fandral's coat around herself a little tighter, trying to block out the cold. Loki glanced over at her.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly. Darcy nodded. The dark-haired man smiled, and pulled his cape from his shoulders, and placed it over her head and shoulders.

"Thanks." She managed to say. Fandral watched the two of them, a little confused. But he didn't say anything, for which Darcy was grateful. Since even she didn't know what was going on between the two of them, she didn't really feel like explaining it to the Asgardian equivalent of Errol Flynn.

"So, how are we going to free Jormagundar?" Thor asked, the silence bothering him. Loki glanced up, looking a little concerned.

"I'm not sure. But we will cross that bridge when we get there." Loki turned to the dying fire, and stoked it up a little, the bright flames catching his attention, almost cat-like in his distraction. "Thor, I'm going to ask you to stay behind when I go to free my son. It is foretold that the Serpent will be your death, and I can't allow that to happen." He shrugged. "I know I'm probably being just as paranoid as Odin, but no matter. Once he's back in his Jotun form, he should be relatively harmless to you." Thor looked like he wanted to object, but he thought about it.

"I will do as you say, Loki. Know that I would help you if I could." The trickster nodded, biting his lower lip, looking almost like a child himself. Part of him wanted Thor to be there, seeing exactly what Odin had done.

"Thank you, Thor. Now it's time we all got some rest. We have some rough days ahead of us." With that, he lay down, and turned over so his back was to the fire. The others followed suit. Hela, as one of the undead, didn't need sleep, so she kept watch as the others drifted off.

Fenrir still slept in her arms, his warmth giving her more comfort than anything had in so long. Her little brother was safe, and soon they would be reunited with the third.

Darcy woke up in the middle of the night, shivering. Somehow in her tossing, she had lost both Loki's cloak, and Fandral's coat. It was dark, so when she felt someone warm put an arm around her, she didn't question it, in her half-asleep state. Whoever he was (it certainly wasn't Jane!), he was still asleep, and didn't realize that he was holding her. Darcy snuggled into his chest, going back to sleep almost immediately.

Loki woke up early the next morning, before it became light out. He turned over, and was mildly shocked to see Darcy lying next to Fandral, securely wrapped in the warrior's embrace. At first he smirked a bit, but then he remembered the two days he'd spent with her. Darcy's mood and disposition reminded him very much of his late wife. Her liking for mischief, and slight temper were both undeniably similar to his. In that respect, Angrboda had been perfect match for him.

His smirk faded as he noticed how comfortable Darcy looked next to Fandral. He'd only been gone for two days, and suddenly these two were together? Of course, the entire setup could be purely accidental. But one would think that knowing Fandral's tendencies with women, Darcy would show a little more discretion in choosing who to snuggle up to…

Was this jealousy?

And if it was, why was he, of all people, jealous? He had never truly recovered from the loss of his wife, and to suddenly have an interest in someone else (especially a mortal) seemed disrespectful to her memory. Heaving a sigh, he turned back over and closed his eyes, not sleeping, just listening.

Darcy woke up about twenty minutes later, just as the sun peered over the horizon. Fandral's arm tightened around her, and her eyes shot open. With a startled yelp she sat up. He woke up, and both nearly tipped over in their hurry to get away from each other.

"What was that all about?" Darcy asked, forcing herself to keep her voice even. Fandral held up his hands, palms out.

"It's not what you think…" he replied, apparently just as shocked as she. "I'm sorry about that." Darcy relaxed a little, allowing herself to lay back down next to him.

"Thanks for keeping me warm, I guess." she chuckled.

"You're welcome, I suppose…" he echoed. Both of them laughed a little, the awkwardness melting away. Fandral glanced around at the other campers. "Do you think any of the others are awake yet?" he whispered. Darcy shrugged.

"Only one way to find out…" She sat up again, and leaned over Loki. He looked like he was asleep, but it also looked like he was trying not to smile. "Morning, Sunshine!" Darcy said brightly. Loki opened his eyes, and mock-glared at her.

"That's not my name…" he muttered. Darcy patted his shoulder.

"Storm Cloud, then."

"Thor's the storm cloud, not me."

"Aww, no nicknames?"

"That would be preferable, yes."

"Fine." She poked him a couple times, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of him. He merely turned over onto his back, and grabbed her wrist before she could touch him again.

"Are you quite finished?" he asked, his annoyance showing through. Maybe this was where the similarities to Angrboda stopped…He couldn't remember his wife ever being so irritating. But it was endearing, he had to admit.

"Just once more?" Loki sighed, and released her arm.

"Very well." Darcy jabbed him once more, and grinned.

"Done. When do we leave?"

"Whenever the others wake up." He started to close his eyes, but Darcy shook him again.

"Well, then let's wake them up! I want to go home." Loki got up, looking far from pleased, but in reality, he didn't mind. He picked his way around Jane, Fandral, and Fenrir to where Thor lay on the opposite side of the fire. He shook him awake.

"Wake up, Thor." He whispered. Thor moaned in his sleep and stared up at Loki sleepily.

"Just five more minutes, Loki…" The trickster stood up, and lightly tapped Thor's side with his boot.

"Get up, oaf." He said jokingly. Thor smiled, and sat up.

"Insistent as always, brother." He yawned. Loki shook his head.

"It's not my fault. Blame Lady Darcy. She's the insistent one." He turned and stoked the fire, throwing another dry branch into the center.

"Hey, can you blame me for wanting to get back?" she defended.

"Of course not." Thor replied, before glancing around. There was one person missing. "Where's Hela?"


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hi! Sorry I took so long. I was seriously blocked on this chapter. Then while I was on break at work, I was just mindlessly scribbling, and I was somehow able to salvage some of it. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

No sooner had Thor asked the question, a loud rush of wind swept over the camp. Loki could hear the energy of the Bifrost.

_Odin sent the Destroyer…_

He watched the approaching cloud, trying to curb his unease.

"We need to leave. Now." He gathered the still-sleeping Fenrir into his arms, and opened a portal. Thor pulled Jane gently to her feet.

"What is it?" she asked. Obviously, whatever it was wasn't good, but it would be nice to know.

"The Destroyer is coming." Thor replied grimly. Darcy turned to the thunderer.

"I thought you'd killed it, or whatever…"

"I did, but the All-father had another one built." Loki stood by the portal.

"What part of 'the Destroyer is coming' do you people not understand? Let's move!" he said impatiently. Thor took Jane's arm, and guided her through to the other side. Fandral offered Darcy his arm, but she brushed past him and stepped into whatever lay beyond. He shrugged and followed. Loki took one last look around, and closed the portal behind him. Just as the last traces of light vanished, the Destroyer landed.

* * *

The group found themselves in a very familiar place. Well, familiar, at least, to Thor and Loki. StarkTower.

Tony stepped out onto the balcony, looking relieved.

"Thor, thank god…What's going on?" He looked at the rest of the group. "…and what is _he_ doing here?" He said, pointing at Loki. "And why is he holding a child?"

"Ah, Stark, meet my nephew Fenrir." Thor said, smiling slightly. Fenrir stared shyly at the billionaire before burying his face in Loki's shoulder. The trickster softened a bit.

"So, what brings you to my humble abode?" Tony asked jokingly, still not pleased with the presence of Loki in his tower.

"Allow me to explain—no, wait, that would take too long. Let me sum it up." Loki said, stepping forward. "When I vanished with Thor during that battle, I accidentally turned him into a child, and he was almost abducted by my estranged daughter, who was looking for revenge upon Odin. To save him, I took him to Jane, and when Hela came after him there, I took her to Asgard where she summarily killed me, and Thor was turned back into an adult." He paused and took a breath. Tony stepped over to him, and poked his shoulder.

"You don't feel like a ghost to me…" Loki glared at him.

"I wasn't finished yet." He snapped. "And what is it with you mortals and poking?" Recovering his composure, he continued. "After speaking with my daughter in the underworld, we reached an understanding, and she brought me back. We freed my son Fenrir, and now we are seeking to free Jormagundar who is imprisoned here on Midgard." Tony raised an eyebrow.

"Okay…but that still doesn't explain what you're doing in my tower…"

"I opened a portal to Midgard. I didn't realize it would take us here. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Loki sniffed, preparing to teleport himself and Fenrir away.

"Why do you always have to be such an ass?" Tony said. "You're supposed to be the trickster, can't you take a joke?" Loki rolled his eyes.

"I've been through far too much, and this situation is much too close to my heart to joke about it, Stark." Tony made a surprised face.

"What? You mean you actually have a heart?" he asked sarcastically. Loki pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Yes I do. I just don't wear it on my sleeve like my oaf of a brother does." He said before he could catch himself. Thor pretended to ignore the fact that Loki had just called him brother. Perhaps the times Loki had called him that during his time as a child were not just figments of his imagination.

"Will you help us, Tony, or will you not?" Tony shrugged.

"Will it make Fury mad?" he asked.

"Most likely."

"Count me in. Where are we going?"

"Scotland." Loki said, smiling a little. Thor looked confused.

"I thought Jormagundar lived in the ocean…"

"Don't be stupid, Thor. We would never find him, if that were indeed the case. The mortal legends have exaggerated his size." Tony put his hands up.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second. You wouldn't happen to be talking about a little place called Loch Ness, would you?" Loki grinned.

"How did you know?" he quipped. Darcy laughed, not quite believing Loki.

"Your kid is Nessie? And you didn't tell us?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

* * *

Hela stared up at her captor, unable to speak, thanks to the gag in her mouth. Odin watched the girl cowering on the floor before him. She tugged restlessly at the shackles binding her wrists, realizing that they were also meant to restrain her magic.

"Stop your struggling, it's quite pointless." The king said. He bent down, and removed the strip of cloth from her mouth. Hela bared her teeth, but made no move to harm him.

"What good will this do, _All-father_?" she spat. "My father will come for me, and believe me, that will be the day you regret." Odin hit her, leaving a red mark on the fleshy side of her face. Hela cried out, unable to defend herself. She drew on her magic, but it couldn't manifest itself, and the pressure tormented her.

"No, the day I regret is the day, 13 years ago, that I didn't kill you myself, instead of leaving you in Niflheim. I intend to remedy that." He turned and glanced out into the hall. "But why would I want your blood directly on my hands? It shall be on your father's instead. The moment he frees your brother, you will fade. You may have thought yourself invincible, but it is possible to permanently kill one of the undead." Hela shook her head, her fear growing.

"No, please no…" she pleaded. "You can't do this." Odin glared at her.

"Yes I can, and I will." He closed his eyes, and placed Gungnir against her chest. The room began to spin, and everything faded to black.

Odin watched the girl slump forward, unconscious. He turned away from her prone form, and was surprised to see Frigga watching him. She looked horrified.

"Odin! What have you done?" she asked. She knelt next to Hela, placing a hand on her forehead.

"I'm only doing my duty as king." He said, holding out his hand to her. For a moment she looked like she might take it, and perhaps embrace him. He was not prepared for what she actually did. She strode up to him and tore the spear from his grasp, and hit him across the face with dull end. Odin sprawled across the floor, dazed.

"Odin Borson, you are unworthy of these realms, of your title, and of your subjects whom you have betrayed. Through your actions, Asgard and the rest of the Nine are now experiencing the beginning of the end. It might have been avoided if not for your stupidity…I hereby take from you your title, and I cast you out!" she intoned, her voice rising to a hoarse, shrill shout as she sent a bolt of magic towards the king. Odin held up his hands, hoping somehow to ward off the attack, but he was now powerless. Frigga watched with grim satisfaction as her husband disappeared.

The queen turned to Hela, and pulled her into her arms.

"I will find a way to save you, dear." She whispered. Hela opened her eyes slightly, and smiled, before sinking back into her stupor.

_I will save you. I promise._


	18. The Loch

**A/N: So…Thor 2 happened…and it has completely ruined my life. I love it, but as far as fanfic writing goes, I'm in denial about the whole thing, except for the Loki-and-Odin conflict. (The old man really got on my nerves in the movie…What a jerk! He totally deserved whatever Loki might've done to him.)**

**I will be continuing this story regardless of what canon says. This story will contain no spoilers, for those of you who care.**

**I'd also like to apologize for not responding to every review, but the story's getting to the point where I can hardly say anything without giving it all away (and what would be the fun in that?) But I do read every single one of them. You're all amazing, truly.**

**Enough of my rambling, and on with the story!**

* * *

The healers had tried removing the spell that the All-father had placed on Hela, but none of them had the strength to completely eradicate it. The situation was not helped by the fact that most of the healers were afraid of her. Frigga was the only one who sat by her bedside as if trying to save Death was the most normal thing in the world.

"Why does no one ever help?" Hela whispered quietly as the last healer left. "Even Father. I brought him back so he could help us, and where is he now?" Frigga shook her head.

"That's not true. Your father is going to do everything in his power to help you. I know he will."

"How do you know?" Frigga carefully brushed a lock of jet black hair away from her face.

"He was devastated when he lost you and your brothers, and your mother." She paused. "You and your brothers are the only part of Angrboda that he has left. He will protect the three of you." Hela closed her eyes, nodding gently.

"I wish to be alone now." She said.

"Of course, dear. If you need anything, just call for me."

"I will…Grandmother." Frigga smiled slightly. She closed the door behind her. Three of the healers were waiting in the hall.

"Please tell me there's a way you can remove that spell." Frigga said. The healers all exchanged a look, and the bravest of the three stood forward.

"My lady, we have skill to heal almost every ill under the sun, but we have never seen an enchantment like this. We can do nothing." Eir said quietly. "I'm sorry." Frigga nodded once.

"Then I shall have to find another way. Thank you for your help." Frigga bowed slightly and went to Hlidskjalf.

She had scarcely had a moment to herself when two guards approached her cautiously.

"My queen, I bring grave tidings." Frigga turned around, worry written across her face.

"What has happened?"

"An alliance of Jotuns and Fire Demons of Muspelheim. They have laid waste to several of the outlying towns. Only a handful of our people survived." Frigga closed her eyes, regretting not having known about the threat earlier.

"Do you have any knowledge of their movements?"

"They have been moving steadily towards the city. Three more days, and they will be upon us." The second guard said. Frigga nodded.

"Prepare the soldiers, and send out orders for the women and children to come to the keep." After a moment of thought, she turned back to the guards. "And send for Lady Sif, Volstagg and Hogun. I would have words with them." The guards both bowed.

"Yes, my Queen." They turned on their heels and marched off. Only moments later, Sif and the remainder of the Warriors Three came to the throne room, and knelt before Frigga, fists over their hearts.

"Please, now is not the time to stand on ceremony." Frigga said gently. They all rose, and looked up to meet Frigga's gaze. Sif glanced around the throne room, confused.

"Where is the All-father?" Frigga looked pained for a moment.

"The All-father is taking some time to reconsider his past actions. When I deem him worthy, he will be returned to his rightful place. But until then, I am acting as regent." She stepped down from the high seat, and looked each of the warriors in the eye.

"What would you have us do, my Queen?" Volstagg asked.

"You will lead the defense of the city, and await Thor and Loki's return."

"Milady, Loki is dead. I thought you were there when it happened…" he said quietly, hoping not to make the queen cry. Much to his surprise, Frigga shook her head, smiling a little.

"His body has gone missing, and there was no funeral. Fenrir, the wolf has been freed, and there are none besides Loki who possess the means or will to do so. Moreover, Hela herself has admitted to bringing Loki back from Helheim." She said, and none dared contradict her.

"I'm sorry for doubting your word, then, my queen." Volstagg said, his cheeks reddening a little at this gentle reproof.

"It is nothing, Volstagg. All is forgiven." Frigga turned to look out the window, and paled slightly. Sif stepped forward to try and see what the queen was seeing.

"What is it? What's happening?" she asked. Frigga turned back to the three warriors.

"I am going to Midgard. I shall return shortly. Go to your posts, keep our people safe, and I shall return to you as soon as possible." Frigga turned back to the window, and disappeared.

* * *

Tony and Fandral watched Loki walk along the shore of Loch Ness. The others (Jane, Darcy, and Thor) had elected to stay at the hotel. Fenrir had taken a bit of a liking to Darcy, so he was staying with her.

"You know, Loki, no one's ever found Nessie…" Loki glared at him.

"Odin put a masking spell over my son so that you mortals would remain unaware of his presence. Only one with power equal to or greater than the All-father could free him." He snapped.

"Oh, so you're claiming to be more powerful than your father?" Loki turned on his heel and strode over to the billionaire.

"That monster is _not_ my father. You would do well to remember that, Stark." Tony held up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay…sheesh…I'm sorry. But don't think you're the only one with daddy-issues." Loki watched him for a couple moments before turning back to the loch.

"And my son's name is Jormagundar." he said, using a tone that left no room for argument or snarky comments. Fandral watched the scene with mild interest. He had known that Odin wasn't exactly on good terms with Loki, but the fact that the trickster wouldn't even claim kinship with the king was news to him.

Loki drew his sword and held it ready as he waded out to waist deep in the murky water.

The water began to swirl, and a large gray shape broke the surface, floating a few feet from Loki. It turned out to be almost ten feet of nothing but snake-like neck. Tony watched in shock as the rest of the creature's body surfaced. Loki smiled in delight as he beheld his youngest son for the first time. Of course, he had hoped the circumstances would be different, but this was better than never seeing him at all.

The serpent's scales were a dull black. His eyes were vividly green, and from where Tony was standing he could see rows upon rows of teeth, all of them glistening white and sharp. But the saddest part of seeing such a magnificent creature up close was that he wore a collar. A golden band seemed almost embedded into his scaly flesh, just where the neck connected to his shoulders. Jormagundar reached out towards the trickster, nudging his chest with the tip of his nose and made a slight whining sound. Loki ran a hand down the scaly face.

"I know…I never came here before, but I am here now." Jormagundar sniffed Loki, ruffling his hair with his breath. "I know, I know what he did. And I am here to free you." The serpent craned his head around, getting a good look at Tony. A forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, getting an idea of what was nearby.

"Did your kid just stick his tongue out at me?" Loki rolled his eyes.

"No, he's just getting to know you." Jormagundar let out a keening moan as Loki raised Laevateinn to sever the bonds. He brought the blade down on the collar just as Frigga appeared.

"Loki, stop!" she cried, but she was too late. The enchantment was broken.

* * *

On Asgard, Hela felt Odin's spell begin its work. Jormagundar was free. She smiled at first, but she thought about it. Frigga had promised to stop Loki before he unknowingly set the spell in motion. Frigga must have gotten to her father before he broke the serpent's bonds, right? And her brother was still freed.

Did her father not care about her?

She closed her eyes, tears working down her cheeks. She couldn't be angry at him; she'd had enough of being angry. If she wasn't good enough for Loki to save, that was his own fault.


End file.
